A Dragon's Claw
by celestial.mxge
Summary: A story of a princess and a cursed dragon. An AU NaLu story.
1. The Princess's Glass Slipper

The sun shining through the sheer curtains woke Lucy Heartfilia on a Thursday morning. She was glad she woke before the maids came in this time. That meant she had some time for herself before she was bombarded with dress fittings and meals with people she didn't know. She had always wished to go off on an adventure, join a guild. She kept a copy of _Sorcerer Weekly_ under her bed at all times, reading it late at night and imagining the life she could have had.

Lucy _was_ a wizard. She was a Celestial Mage, the same as her mother was before her. When she passed on, Layla Heartfilia's keys were passed on to her daughter, but Lucy was seldom able to use them for anything other than having them keep her company.

She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her brown eyes. Her hair was sticking up in a million different directions. Her keys were on display on her night stand and she smiled when she saw them glinting in the sunlight. She had four gold zodiac keys. She was trying to convince her father to let her go in search of the other eight, but he said no every time she asked. She also had three silver keys that she got for Christmas's and birthdays.

Lucy swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. The wood floor was cold under her bare feet. Walking over to the curtains, she pulled them open and the room became brighter. She opened the window, a warm breeze blowing her blonde hair back behind her shoulders.

"It's a beautiful day, Mom," she said, looking up at the sky with a content smile. "I wish you were here to see it."

Lucy was about to turn back into her room and wait for the maids to come in and help her dress when she saw someone walking up the alway. She walked out onto the balcony, putting her hands on the rail and leaning forward to get a better look at the stranger. She couldn't see the person's face, but she did see a full head of pink hair.

"Princess."

Lucy turned and saw a young maid standing in front of her. She had a head of pink hair and bright blue eyes. Lucy wished she knew her name. "Yes," she said, walking back into the room and closing the door. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

The maid didn't say anything. Instead, she got out a frilly pink dress and helped Lucy into it. Lucy had never been much of a fan of dresses, if she were being honest, but she knew it would upset her father if she said that. He always said how she looked so much like her mother; he even called her Layla by accident sometimes.

"Your father picked out new shoes for you, Princess." The maid grabbed a box on the end table and opened it. Inside were sparkly glass slippers, and Lucy gasped.

"Oh, wow," she breathed, running her finger over them before the maid took them out and put them on her feet. They were a lot more comfortable than she thought, but she was still worried the weight of her body and this dress would break them and she would end up with bloodied and scarred feet. "May I ask, what is your name?"

The maid smiled. "You're the first to ask, Princess. My name is Virgo."

She cocked her head to the side. "You're named after a zodiac? Like my spirits?" she asked, looking over to her keys, Virgo's eyes following suit.

Virgo nodded. "I am a celestial spirit, Princess. I knew your mother, but we did not have a contract together. She was kind to me, though, so I'm here caring for her family when she cannot." She bowed her head.

Lucy's eyes widened. "Then can...Can we make a contract?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with hope.

Virgo reached out and grabbed Lucy's hand. In it, she left a beautiful gold key. "I am always free for you, Princess."

"But how did you get here?" Lucy didn't quite understand because she knew that she hadn't seen this woman before.

She smiled. "I came this morning. Your father does not know anything about my identity, Princess. But I cannot stay in this world forever."

"I'll cover for you," Lucy said with a smile.

The smile left on Virgo's face was kind and it made Lucy feel warm inside. She was about to say more when her father entered her room.

He was never allowed to enter her room, but the distressed look on his face worried Lucy, and the warm feeling she had a moment ago was gone and replaced with ice.

"Sorry to barge in, sweetheart. But there's trouble in town."

"What's happened?"

Jude's face was pale and Lucy's heart sunk down to her feet. "It's the dragon. Lucy, we need the help of all the wizards we can get. He's going on a rampage!"


	2. The Dragon's Song

"What do you mean a rampage?"

Jude's eyes were wide and full of fear. He wasn't a wizard. In fact, he detested the idea of wizardry being a career. When he found out Lucy had wanted to join a guid, that was why he was much less than thrilled. "He seems to be having a tantrum," he said, rubbing his temples. "You're a wizard, Lucy. And I know you have your mother's water spirit. You can use it to calm that fire dragon down, right?"

Everything seemed to be happening much too fast. Lucy had never fought with any of her spirits. Plus, Aquarius wasn't a big fan of her whatsoever. "I-I, uh..."

"Don't worry, Princess. I will change your clothes to something more appropriate for battling." Virgo shared a knowing look with Lucy. She had to admit, it did feel a lot better knowing that she had Virgo now, too. The only problem? She was unable to open more than one celestial gate at once.

Jude nodded. "Thank you, Lucy," he said, ignoring Virgo altogether. He didn't even look at her once, like he didn't see her at all. He put his hand on her head - a gesture that was rather awkward - before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

When Lucy turned around, she saw that Virgo was already holding an outfit on a hanger, an outfit that made Lucy's eyes go wide as saucers. "What is _that_?" she demanded in a loud voice. It was a dress dark blue in color. The top resembled a corset with gold designs over it. The skirt was a bit more flowy, but it was clearly a short one. She had never worn anything shorter than her knees; not in public, anyway, and the idea of wearing this dress out was enough to send her cheeks blazing.

"A dress from the celestial spirit world," Virgo said simply. "And these are your boots." She held up a pair of knee-high boots and Lucy gasped.

"I can't wear that!"

Virgo blinked. "It will be easier to summon us with this. And this." She held out the handle of what looked like a whip in her other hand and Lucy was sure she would pass out.

"Wh-Wh-What do I need a whip for?"

Virgo quickly moved behind me and started undoing the corset of the dress I already had on. My heart was beating so fast, so hard, that I wondered if she could hear it. "It is a magical item, Princess. It is called _fleuve d'étoiles_. If you are running low on magic energy or want to preserve it, you can fight using this. It will not deplete as much magic energy as summoning a spirit will."

Lucy looked down at the handle. She felt almost unworthy of holding this item in her hands. She wasn't by any means a powerful Celestial Wizard. But the less magic energy she used, the better. She didn't have much of it to start with, and if she was going to go up against the dragon, she would need all the help she could get. She knew for a fact she wouldn't be alone; the town was filled with all different types of wizards who practiced all different kinds of magic. But Lucy had Aquarius, who would be very strong against the fire magic the dragon used.

She had only ever heard stories about the dragon. He used fire magic and he wasn't entirely human. She heard many different variations of the story: he actually was a dragon, he had talons, his skin was scaly, his teeth were sharp...The list went on and on to the point where Lucy wasn't sure she believed any of them to be true. She wouldn't believe what he looked like until she saw him for herself. She always pitied him, wondering why he was cursed to be a dragon when he _was_ once a wizard.

Everyone feared him. He practiced magic that was so rare, only a handful of people knew it. Her mother had always told her to never judge a person by the way he or she looked. But she didn't know how she couldn't judge a person who supposedly had physical qualities of a dragon.

"There, Princess. It's finished."

Virgo stood Lucy in front of a mirror. She was wearing the celestial spirit dress, and she was surprised at how well it fit. Her cheeks flushed when she saw how short the skirt was and how high the boots were. Her blonde hair was in pig-tails with blue ribbons, and she wondered how Virgo was able to do all of this so fast. "Oh, wow," she breathed, straightening out the fabric of the dress. "Thanks, Virgo."

Virgo bowed. "Will you punish me now, Princess?"

Lucy's keys jingled as she ran down the stairs to the front of the mansion she called home. Her father was waiting at the door, looking out. He looked tense, and Lucy wondered if he was actually afraid. When she got to him, she tapped him on the shoulder and he turned his attention o her. Seeing her outfit, his eyes widened, but before he could yell at her or scold her, Lucy spoke, "I'm ready."

Jude's mouth was a straight line. He looked like he was going to say something, but then decided against it with a shake of his head. "The carriage is outside waiting for you. Two of our strongest warriors are in there as well. Their job is to protect you, Lucy." He put his hands on her shoulders. "It is their number one priority to make sure you come home safely."

"I'll be fine, Dad." Lucy pulled away from his grip, looking at the ground with a frown. She hated how he treated her so much like a child. She was seventeen, after all. She never felt close to her father and often wondered if he actually loved her or not.

He didn't say anything as she pushed the doors open and stepped out into the sun. It was a warm day, and she was kind go glad she didn't have too many layers on. She didn't want to be slowed down because she was sweating in a dress.

The carriage was burgundy with gold embellishments. It shone in the light, and it wasn't exactly inconspicuous.

She declined the drivers help to get up and climbed into the carriage herself. Even though it was nice having all of the material things, she didn't need it to survive. In fact, she preferred more subtle things than flashy ones.

"Morning, Lucy-sama."

"How are you, Lu-sama?"

Two wizards sat in the carriage already, greeting Lucy with smiling faces. The first who spoke was a young woman - the most powerful female wizard around. Erza Scarlet. The second who spoke - the man who always called Lucy 'Lu' since they were young - was Gray Fullbuster. He used Ice Maker magic, while Erza was able to requip her armor at lightning speed. They were around the same age as Lucy, so they were always kind to her. In fact, Gray was one of the only people who knew that she wanted to actually join a guild.

"I'm fine," Lucy said, sitting down next to Gray before the carriage started moving and heading into town. She stared down at her lap, playing with her fingers. She was nervous about this whole thing. The dragon was powerful beyond Lucy's belief. She stood no chance, and she was sure Erza and Gray knew that, too.

It was silent for a while before Lucy spoke up. "I know my father wants you both to protect me. And I appreciate you doing that, of course. But I want to be an addition to your team instead of a burden. I may not be very powerful, but I'm a wizard. And I want to do something to help you both."

Gray smiled, reaching out and petting Lucy's head. The gesture made her smile.

"We know that," Erza said. She was scary when she was angry or in battle, but when she wasn't, she was actually very kind. "We want you to learn the basics of your magic power. It must not be fun to be stuck in that mansion all the time."

Lucy shook her head. "Not as fun as a lot of people think."

"Don't worry," Gray said to assure her. "We will protect you, but that's also what team members do."

Lucy smiled, her face flushing slightly. She was always jealous of Gray and Erza. They were both members of a popular guild called Fairy Tail. They weren't from this town, but Magnolia wasn't far from here and they came to help my father with jobs. He must have paid them well because they always came back. Lucy once tried to help them with their job and when they said no, she followed them. Long story short, she ended up getting captured and causing even more problems for them. She made her father pay them more for their trouble, but she felt like a burden ever since. She knew she wasn't useless, but she also knew that these two were a whole other level from her.

She looked out the window as the trees zipped along, all of them blurring into one green blob. She looked down at her keys. She knew her spirits would be there for her, and she also had that whip in case she ran low of magic energy, but she wished she could have been able to get more keys. She wanted all twelve zodiacs; they were the most powerful of the celestial spirits. The ones she had, however, all seemed to really like being contracted with her. Well, all except Aquarius, but she was one of the most powerful of all the zodiacs.

"Now, here's the plan."

Lucy turned her head from the window as the trees dissolved into buildings and Erza spoke up. The expression on her face was a lot more serious now. Even Gray was paying attention to her.

"The carriage is going to drop us off at the edge of town. The dragon was last seen on the west of town. Now, he could have moved to the east since then. We are all going to stick together, and when we find him, Gray, you will distract him. Your ice magic is weak against his fire, so he will have the advantage. But if you can distract him for long enough, I can requip into my Fire Empress armor. That'll make me weak to fire magic attacks. Then, I will attack. Gray, you will go back to Lucy then and Lucy, you will summon that water spirit of yours. With her powerful water attack, she should be able to sustain him long enough for us to capture him. Do you understand?" Erza asked, and Gray and Lucy both nodded quickly at the same time.

Lucy was perfectly okay with that plan; she was just glad she was going to be able to do something other than sit around and be a damsel in distress. "I just," Lucy spoke up and the attention moved to her. "I need some form of water around in order to summon Aquarius. Otherwise, I can't."

"Hm," Erza said, probably deep in thought. "That might not be easy at this point. He tends to burn everything in sight."

"Don't worry, Lucy," Gray said. "We'll figure it out. Worst comes to worst, we can trick him into melting my ice to water and you can use that."

Lucy nodded and fell into silence. That was a good idea, but she knew Aquarius wouldn't be happy if she was summoned through that. She got pissed at Lucy whenever she summoned her using any body of water other than something large and fancy.

Barely ten minutes passed before the carriage stopped on the edge of town and Gray, Erza, and Lucy piled out of the carriage. The air was a lot hotter here than it was back at the mansion, and Lucy knew that a fire wizard was close.

"Oh, _shit_ ," Gray said, his eyes wide when he looked up at the sky. The clouds looked orange, and Lucy hid a bit behind Gray. He took off his shirt and tossed it away. By now, Lucy was used to him never wearing clothes that it didn't phase her anymore. "It's hot."

"He's close," Erza said. Lucy wondered how she wasn't incredibly hot in her armor. "We have to move. If we don't worry, he'll destroy the entire town." She started walking ahead.

"Stay close to me," Gray said, glancing back at Lucy. "I don't want us to get separated."

Lucy wondered if it was the heat that made her cheeks red or something else. She nodded once, grabbing on to his arm awkwardly as they both took off after Erza. The fact that his body was cold was comforting in this heat.

They walked for a couple minutes, sweat making Lucy's bangs stick to her forehead, when they heard the sound of a hoarse scream. It was male, and Erza seemed to be alert as she heard it. She stopped and held out her arm to stop Lucy and Gray, too. Lucy jumped closer to Gray when a wall a few feet away from them was destroyed, pieces of brick and dust flying everywhere. Lucy had to cover her eyes. When she looked up, she saw the silhouette of a man with long horns coming up from his head. She couldn't see his face, but she knew this was the dragon everyone always talked about.

"Gray, now!"

Gray moved away from Lucy and towards the dragon. "Ice Make Excalibur!" A large sword made of ice formed in Gray's hand and he got into a fighting stance.

The dragon laughed. "Fire Dragon..." he shouted and Lucy's eyes widened. She hadn't expected him to sound so...human. " _Roar_!"

Gray was able to avoid the attack, but the ice sword melted. Lucy knew that he wasn't fighting with all he had. He was just bluffing in order to distract him while Erza prepared for attack and-

Wait, where was Erza?

Lucy looked around, but she didn't see Erza anywhere. She also didn't see a single body of water. Gray's excalibur turned to smoke before the water even hit the ground. There was no way she would be able to call on Aquarius, not without any water around.

"You think you can defeat me with _ice_ magic? Hah! Don't make me laugh."

The dragon didn't even seem to notice that Lucy was there. _Maybe I can use this to my advantage, too,_ she thought. _I refuse to be useless._

Lucy's eyes widened when she had the idea. She knew the perfect spirit to call forward. She wasn't strong, but if she could calm the dragon... Lucy reached for a silver key and held it out in front of her. "Open! Gate of the Lyre! Lyra!"

A pretty young woman with strawberry blonde hair and a harp appeared in front of Lucy. Her eyes were black, but they were kind. "Hi, Lucy-chan!" she said happily. "What can I help you with?" Lyra had a bonnet on her head and pink cheeks; she was like a doll, and Lucy thought she was the cutest thing.

Erza had shown up, and she was now fighting the dragon with Gray. However, it didn't seem like he was struggling at all. Gray was out of breath, but the dragon didn't look phased at all. Lucy swallowed a dry lump in her throat, feeling nervous. She knew this was against the plan, but she had to try.

"Lyra," she said. "Can you play a song? Please?"

She nodded, smiling. "Of course, Lucy-chan."

Lyra sat down in front of her harp. She closed her eyes and started running her fingers over the strings. The melody was beautiful. Lyra's songs were always so beautiful; Lucy loved them. She wondered whose thoughts and feelings Lyra would base this song off of.

Gray was the only one who seemed to notice that the song was playing; Erza and the dragon were still focused on the battle with each other.

Then Lyra opened her mouth and her singing voice put every bone in Lucy's body to rest. It was truly beautiful.

 _High up on a mountain top  
The clouds move by and hit my face_  
 _Looking, waiting, searching,_  
 _Where did you go?_  
 _Where did you go?_

 _May I ask, did you see me grow?_  
 _Here I am now_  
 _Are you proud?_  
 _When they look at me, they see just black_  
 _Tell me_  
 _When will they see the real me?_

"MAKE IT STOP!"

Lucy jumped and Lyra stopped playing when the piercing scream disturbed the beautiful sound. The dragon had his hands over his ears and he was gritting his teeth tightly. He screamed as he struck at Lyra's harp. It shattered and Lucy gasped even though she knew that it would be fixed once she went back to the celestial spirit world.

"I'm sorry, Lucy-chan," Lyra said. She looked so sad as she disappeared, going back into the spirit world.

Lucy reached for another key, but when a shadow formed over her, she stopped and looked up, frozen in fear at the...man? creature? in front of her. There were dark marks over his left eye, which was red. His right eye was different, lighter. She couldn't tell if it was hazel or black, though. His hair was pink.

He looked angry and Lucy cowered a bit.

"That magic," he said, his voice hoarse and slow. "What was that magic?" he demanded.

"Uh..It, uh..."

"Tell me!" he roared.

But before Lucy could answer, he was pulled back by Erza who tied his hands behind his back. He was screaming and swearing at her, but Lucy didn't hear it. Her hands were shaking and she was so distracted that she didn't even see Gray come up in front of her and pull her into a hug. He was whispering things to her, but she didn't hear. She was staring at the dragon. Lyra's song was taken from him; she wondered what it was about. Maybe she, like her mother, should pity him.

"Where-Where is she taking him?" Lucy asked after Gray had put his coat over her shoulders. The heat in the air faded once the dragon was shoved into an arrest carriage. "Not to the Magic Council, right?"

Gray was frowning, but Lucy had no idea what he was thinking about. "No," he said. And that was all he said. Lucy wondered why he couldn't tell her where he was going. Were they mad at her for going against the plan? She didn't care for the dragon, no, but she couldn't get the words of Lyra's song out of her head, and she wondered if he couldn't get the words out of his head either. "Come on, Lu," Gray said. He was avoiding eye contact with Lucy. "I'm going to take you back home now."


	3. The Princess's Secret

**I just wanted to take a little moment to write a short author's note to say thank you for all the feedback this story has gotten so far. I hope everyone continues to enjoy my story! I really enjoy writing it! I have a lot planned, so stay tuned! Anyway, thank you for stopping to read my story, I appreciate it so much! I also want to say I apologize for any spelling mistakes, since I do not proofread these thoroughly before posting.**

* * *

Lucy's life went back to being mostly the same. She woke up the next morning and was dressed in another long, fancy dress. Her hair was put in a bun instead of pig-tails and she sighed. She missed the pig-tails. Lucy spent the day eating with people whose names she would forget by next year, talking about things that didn't entirely matter. But the entire time she was distracted; she couldn't stop thinking about the dragon. She wondered who he was, why he was like that. And, more importantly, where he was taken when Erza arrested him. Part of her wanted to talk to him. She wanted answers to all of these questions. She was intrigued by the fact that he was human, but he also wasn't. She wondered if it was some sort of curse.

Once the meetings were over, Lucy went back to her room and collapsed on her bed. She reached under the mattress and pulled out the newest issue of _Sorcerer Weekly_. Lisanna Strauss of Fairy Tail was on the center-fold. Lucy let out a dreamy breath. "It's Lisanna this week. She's so pretty." Lucy had always wished she were as pretty as Lisanna, especially as she flipped through the pictures of her in a bikini, knowing that her own body wasn't as perfect as that. Lisanna didn't even seem to have any stretch marks at all. "So lucky," Lucy breathed.

She skimmed over the articles, saving them to read later. She was about to close the magazine when something caught her eye. On the second to last page, there was a blurry photo of the dragon. Lucy knew it was him and her breath caught in her throat. She sat up and started reading the caption.

 _Rare photo of the dragon. Warning: dangerous.  
Update: Imprisoned._

This issue must have been really new, considering he was captured just yesterday afternoon. "But where is he imprisoned?" Lucy asked herself. She put the magazine back under her mattress when she knew there was no information about his whereabouts. The glint of her keys caught her eye and she reached for them, looking through them and stopping when she came to a silver one. She wondered if Crux would be able to find out anything about the dragon.

 _It's worth a shot,_ she thought, taking the key off of the key ring.

"Open!" she shouted, holding the key in front of her. "Gate of the Southern Cross! Crux!"

A magic circle appeared from the key, followed by the spirit Crux. He had his small legs crossed and he was floating next to Lucy's bed. "How may I help you, Lucy-chan?"

"I need you to do some research. Find out where the dragon is being held in prison. Please," she added. She never wanted to seem demanding or rude to her spirits. She loved all of them with all her heart, and sometimes she worried they didn't know that.

He nodded, then closed his eyes and went to sleep, a bubble coming out of his nose as he breathed. This was how he did his research: by sleeping. It took longer than Lucy cared to admit for her to realize that that was what he was doing.

It felt like a lifetime before Crux woke up and Lucy looked at him hopefully, her brown eyes sparkling.

"There wasn't much I could find since it is such new information," he said. Lucy sighed, defeated. She was about to send him back through the gate when he spoke again, "However, I found something that might be of interest to you."

"What is it?"

Crux was silent for a moment, and that only made Lucy more anxious. She was about to say something when he finally spoke, "The papers regarding the dragon's arrest were signed by your father."

* * *

" _What?!"_

Lucy sent Crux back through his gate and stared at the wall across from her bed for a long time. Her father signed the papers? What did that mean? Was the dragon...? Lucy shook her head. _No, that's impossible. The dragon can't be here._

A knock on the door made Lucy jump. "Lucy-sama, lunch is being served in the sun room. Jude-dono is waiting."

"I-I'll be right down."

Lucy waited until she heard the sound of footsteps descending the staircase before getting up off the bed and pacing up and down the room. She knew her father wanted the dragon captured, but she didn't think he would be the one to sign the papers. Usually, the Magic Council signed off on those. She reached for her key ring one more time and, even though she was starting to feel a little faint from calling Crux forth, she wanted to talk to Virgo. She found the gold key and held it out in front of her. "Open! Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"

A magic circle appeared in front of the key, followed by Virgo who was wearing a maid uniform and had shackles on both of her wrists. Lucy didn't know why, but she didn't question it, either. "Are you going to punish me, Princess?"

"What? No!" Lucy said, shaking her head. "I have a favor I need to ask of you."

"Anything, Princess," Virgo said, bowing.

Lucy let out a breath through her nose, thinking over her words. "I'm going to be having lunch with my dad. While he's distracted, can you look around the mansion for the dragon?"

Virgo looked confused, but she nodded. "Of course, Princess. You can count on me." Virgo crossed her arms over her chest and started to spin. She then disappeared through the floor and Lucy's eyes widened.

"You could have used the door!"

* * *

As Lucy made her way down the to sun room, she wondered what she would do with the giant hole now in her bedroom floor. However, Virgo's powers were interesting, and Lucy wished she could have used her in a battle like real wizards did. She nodded a greeting at one of the butlers and entered the sun room. Her father was looking out at the garden, a plate full of sandwiches in the middle of the table. Lucy always thought these meals were awkward because they were spent mostly in silence. By now, she was kind of used to it as she sat across from her father and reached for a sandwich. She hadn't realized how hungry she really was.

"Lucy." Her father's voice was so strong and hard that Lucy dropped her sandwich on the table cloth. Cheeks flushed, she rushed to clean it up, but the sauce stained the table cloth. "Lucy," he said again, and Lucy stopped trying to clean and sat on her hands, looking down at her lap. He let out a loud sigh. "Erza told me what happened yesterday in town. With the dragon."

Lucy perked up. Was he going to say why his name was on the arrest papers? She hoped so; she wasn't a fan of keeping secrets. "What do you mean?" she asked slowly.

"What that dragon did to you. He got close to you and screamed at you, didn't he? He could have hurt you, Lucy."

Lucy frowned. "But he didn't. I'm perfectly fine." Though she wasn't exactly sure that was true. She was defending a perfect stranger, after all. And a dangerous one at that. "I'm a celestial wizard, Dad. I could have protected myself if I had to."

Jude was frowning, and a vein in his forehead was popping out a bit. It frightened Lucy and she lowered her shoulders a bit. "A celestial wizard with no training in battle. If I lost you too, I-"

He cut himself off, running his hand over his freshly shaven jaw. "Dad," Lucy said, her voice soft. She and her father never got along, but they both had one thing in common: they missed Layla more than anything in the world.

Layla had a kind heart and a gentle nature. She was beautiful and never looked down on anyone. In fact, most of the servants here were her friends and mourned just as much as her family did when the illness took her. Lucy made it a point to visit her grave every week. She would sit in front of it for at least an hour and tell her mother everything that happened in the last week. She asked for advice and felt enlightened even though she didn't get an answer. Even though she was gone, Layla was still Lucy's best friend.

She was the main reason Lucy wanted to become a Celestial Wizard. When she was a little girl, her mother's most prized butler was Capricorn, one of her zodiac spirits. He was gentlemanly and kind, and Lucy wished he hadn't disappeared after her mother died. Then there was Aquarius. Lucy remembered seeing her and being so excited to see a mermaid in real life. She thought Aquarius was beautiful and didn't even notice how sour she was to her. She fell in love with celestial spirits and the spirit world that she learned how to become a celestial wizard just like her mother.

"I'm sorry, Dad, but I'm not very hungry right now." Lucy stood up, placing the napkin that had been on her lap on the plate with a half eaten finger-sandwich. She bowed to her father before she walked out. She kept her eyes on the ground, her hands folded in front of her. She had wanted to ask about the dragon, but now the memory of her mother had her too upset to care.

When she made it back to her room, she changed out of her dress and put on a simpler one. It resembled a nightgown in that it was white and made of thin cotton fabric. There was a small, pink bow under the chest and the skirt fell a few inches above her ankles. She let her hair fall down, resting a few inches below her shoulders. Lucy walked over to her bookshelf and grabbed her childhood doll, Michelle. Michelle was her best friend when she was a little girl and didn't have any friends her own age. She pressed the small doll to her chest and kissed its head.

She walked back to her bed and lay down. Tears fell down her cheeks, staining the dark red silk pillow cases. Even though she remembered happy memories of her mother, they still made her sad. She missed her mother more than anything and it killed her knowing that her mother would never be there to see her get married.

* * *

"Sorry I took so long, Princess." Virgo was standing by the edge of Lucy's bed, bowing her head down respectfully.

Lucy had stopped crying after twenty minutes. She still had Michelle on her bed, but she was not currently holding her anymore. "It's okay, Virgo," she said with a kind smile. She really liked when Virgo called her 'Princess'. "Did you find anything?" It took a while for Lucy to remember what she had asked Virgo to do, but when she did, she was more curious than ever.

Virgo nodded. "I did eventually. There is someone here. Many floors down. I did not see him, Princess, but he was yelling and hitting something. I think the room was a dungeon?"

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "Dungeons? We don't have dungeons under this house."

Right?

"It looked like a dungeon to me, Princess. I can take you down there if you'd like."

Lucy's mouth was in a straight line. There was no way she was going to get any answers from her father. She nodded and stood up. "Yes, please," she said politely before grabbing her gate keys just in case she needed them.

"Grab on, Princess."

"Eh? To what?"

Virgo reached out and grabbed Lucy's wrists. She placed her hands on her back and when she started spinning again, Lucy screamed.

Her stomach felt like it was in her throat as they descended. " _You're making holes in all the floors!_ " Lucy shouted, closing her eyes tightly. They were still watering from the sting of the descent.

"Do not worry, Princess. I will fix them all."

Lucy screamed again, holding so tightly to Virgo that she worried if she was hurting her. If she was, Virgo didn't say anything. Lucy wondered if maybe she liked it since she always asked if she was going to be punished. After what felt like an hour, the moving stopped. Lucy was dizzy and when she let go of Virgo, she almost feel right to the floor. She held onto the wall, blinking a few times and shaking her head to get her equilibrium back.

"Princess, are you all right?" Virgo asked.

Lucy nodded. "Yeah, Virgo, I'm fine." Though she did feel kind of nauseated. "But can you promise to keep this a secret? Just between us. My father can't know I've come down here to talk to the dragon."

"It will be our secret." Virgo bowed. "I am going to fix the floors now. Just summon me when my key when you wish to go back up."

Lucy nodded and Virgo used the same spinning technique to go back up where they came. Lucy watched until Virgo's feet were out of sight, turning her attention to her surroundings. The walls were cold and she was able to hear the _drip drop_ of some sort of leak. Lucy suddenly wish she wore shoes down here because it was too dark to see what was on the floor.

She hugged her chest as she walked forward. There was torches on the walls, but the light wasn't enough to see too far ahead of her and ti definitely wasn't warm enough to keep goosebumps from raising along her arms.

It felt like she was walking for miles upon miles before she heard a knocking sound. It was echoing throughout the hall, and Lucy knew that it could have very well been coming from miles away. She didn't know what was down here. It seemed like a tunnel to her. It wasn't until the knocking got louder that she started to see doors. Bars. She stopped and reach out to one. The bar was cold and felt rusty. She pulled her hand away almost immediately. "What the hell is this?" she breathed to herself.

She jumped when she heard a knock again. This time, it was really close. Her heart was racing from fear as she walked closer to it. All horror movies told her this was a bad idea, that she would get killed if she didn't run for her life, but she wanted to take up this lead and if the dragon was down here, he must have been locked up. He couldn't hurt her if he was.

 _Knock, knock._

Lucy gasped, practically jumping out of her skin when she heard the knocking right in her left ear. She slowly turned her head to the sound, her eyes wide as saucers when she saw she was face to face with a pair of eyes, one red and one dark. Lucy backed away until her back hit the wall, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "You scared me to death!" she said, clutching her chest as she breathed.

He didn't say anything. He gripped one of the bars and flames erupted from his hand. But the bar didn't been or melt; it was fireproof.

Lucy blinked. "Why...are you here?" None of this made any sense to her; there was a dungeon underneath her family's mansion and her father was holding the dragon captive? This was supposed to be the Magic Council.

He kept his eyes on her, but he didn't say anything. He was tapping the bar with his finger now. Lucy noticed that he had rather long nails for a man.

"Celestial spirits," she blurted, embarrassed at how ridiculous it must have sounded. "You asked what kind of magic I used yesterday. I'm a Celestial Wizard." Slowly, she took a step closer to him. As long as he was behind those bars, he couldn't hurt her. And as long as she didn't get within arm's reach of him.

She heard him inhale when she was closer, which made her stop and made a chill run down her spine. _Is he...smelling me?_

"Lavender."

"Eh?"

"You smell like lavender. And maybe," he squeezed his head through the bars, inhaling again, "Peaches, too."

Lucy blinked a few times, her eyes so wide they hurt. The lavender was obvious, because she always wore lavender perfume. It made her feel relaxed and even though she never wore a lot, even Gray knew that was the scent she wore. But the peaches? She reached up and played with the ends of her hair. Her conditioner had traces of peach scent in it, but no one aside from her was able to smell it because of how subtle it really was. But he was able to smell it and he was feet away from her.

What kind of person was this?

"Uh..." Lucy stammered, not know what else she could say. The whole smelling thing caught her off guard and she forgot everything she wanted to ask him.

The dragon grinned, pulling his head back into the cell. He put his back against the wall and slid down it. He seemed different from yesterday. He wasn't on a rampage, first of all. He seemed really tired, actually. Maybe he was hungry? Lucy wondered.

"Are you hungry or something?" she asked, rubbing her arms. The goosebumps didn't leave the skin, however.

"No."

Lucy took a deep breath before sitting down on the floor to be eye-levels with him. She didn't want to think about the fact that her white dress was probably filthy by now. She felt badly for whoever was going to be doing her laundry this week. "My name is Lucy Heartfilia. I don't know why, but this dungeon is under my family's mansion. And I was wondering if you knew why you're here and not the Magic Council." She was talking so quickly, she hoped he understood her.

He just shook his head.

They were both silent for a long time. Lucy was studying him to see if she could notice anything about him, but he was unreadable. He was staring at the wall, though, and not at her. It felt like hours where the two of them just sat there. And that silence would have went on longer if it weren't for Virgo appearing from the ceiling with a panicked look on her face.

"Princess," she said. "You father. He is looking for you and he knows you are not in your room. We have to go now, Princess."

Lucy gasped. "Oh, _great_." She stood up and brushed her dress off. She grabbed onto Virgo's back again and looked back at the dragon, but he was still staring at the wall across from him.

"Are you ready, Princess?"

Lucy turned her attention back to Virgo, but before she could nod, the dragon spoke up, "Natsu Dragneel."

"What?" Lucy asked.

He looked over at her, but only for a moment. And for that moment, she forgot that the other side of his face was dark. "That's my name."


	4. The Dragon's Fire

**Hello again, everyone! Thanks for all the feedback again, it makes me really happy to see people are enjoying my story! I'm also working on fixing all of the grammatical errors, so I apologize if there are any in this chapter because sometimes I can miss some, heh. I thought you all should know that this fic is rated M mostly for violence and language. I am still unsure if there will be any explicit sex scenes, but I'm leaning more towards no at this point. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! ^.^**

 **Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

The chirp of crickets echoed throughout the night. The grass was cold under Lucy's bare feet, but it was comforting. And the fact that it was too dark to see any possible bugs crawling around kept her at ease. The moon reflected against the surface of the water in the small pond. The mansion's gardens were always well kept and it did have lights for night time, but it wasn't like Lucy was out here because she was _allowed_ to be.

Everything that just happened kept replaying through her mind. The fact that her father had Natsu locked up in the dungeons being the most prominent ones. She needed answers, but she knew she couldn't go out and just ask him. Her father was never one to get cozy with anyone, including his daughter. He had even gotten violent with her, throwing things across the room and shoving her into the walls. This was all after her mother died and he was feeling upset and vulnerable and he didn't know how to deal with his feelings. Lucy always found a way to blame herself. Like she looked too much like her mom. Or that she really did deserve it for talking back to him.

Sighing, Lucy plopped down in front of the pond, letting her feet in the water. She kicked her legs a bit.

She could always summon Crux and ask him again, but she was much too tired at this point to summon any of her spirits. She had summoned only two today, but it was more than she was used to. It made her feel so weak, but she never had any proper training as a celestial mage. Her mother was going to, but then she got sick and it just never happened.

If there was another way to find out more about this Natsu Dragneel, she would figure it out. She would take her reading glasses to the library tomorrow and see what she could find.

Another thing she couldn't stop thinking about the fact that he knew what she smelled like. Lavender and peaches. It sent a shiver down her spine, but she wasn't entirely sure why. It had caught her off guard. The most interaction she had with someone of the opposite sex that wasn't family was with Gray, and he was more of a brother figure to her than anything. He never noticed if she changed her perfume or got her hair cut. But within seconds of meeting her, a complete stranger noticed. A stranger who wasn't entirely human. It sent her head spinning and aching. None of this was making sense to her and she just wanted to go to sleep at this point and forget about this stuff, if only for a little while.

"Lucy-sama."

Lucy jumped when she heard the familiar voice calling to her. She looked up over her right shoulder, her eyes meeting Erza Scarlet's. She let out a breath of relief. She would have preferred Gray to be the one to catch her out after her bed time, but she also knew that Erza wasn't one to rush to her father to tattle on her. "You don't have to be so formal with me, Erza. Just call me Lucy."

Erza nodded and sat down next to Lucy, but she didn't put her feet in the water. She was still wearing her armor and Lucy wondered if it was heavy. She never saw Erza without the armor, even when she accompanied Lucy to the pool. She had wanted to hang out with her and swim, but Erza refused to change at all. "You know you aren't supposed to be out of your room at this hour, Lucy."

Lucy sighed, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. Since the sun set, the air got colder and goosebumps were risen all across her arms. She didn't know if they were all caused by the cold, though. "I know," she said, looking over at Erza pleadingly. "Please, don't tell my father. I'll go back soon, I just...needed some fresh air."

Erza leaned back on her hands, looking up at the sky. She had always been a mystery to everyone around her. She refused to get cozy with anyone, and Lucy didn't think anyone knew where she was born or even her birthday. And all the mystery behind her only made her even more beautiful. Lucy was always jealous of how pretty she was without even trying. Lucy spent hours putting on makeup and dresses, and Erza was barefaced and still prettier. Lucy pressed her lips together and looked back at the water, her reflection staring back at her. "Don't worry," Erza said after a long while. "I know how horrible of a man your father is. Gray does, too. We don't stay here because he pays us well. We stay here for you, because we want to protect you."

Lucy looked back at Erza, her eyes wide and shining with the reflection of the moon. "For...me?"

A ghost of a smile tugged at Erza's lips and Lucy wondered when the last time she truly smiled was. "Yes, for you. You're a kind hearted girl, Lucy. You may not be the strongest wizard in the world, but that doesn't mean you're not powerful. In fact, you are much more powerful than many of the members of Fairy Tail. You've known sadness that many people have only read in books or saw in TV lacrimas. And yet you still manage to laugh and smile through it all. That is power."

A drop of water landed on Lucy's hand and she wondered when she started crying. The tears fell rapidly, staining her pale cheeks. "Erza-chan," she said, adding the honorific even though she knew Erza hated it. She flung her arms around the mage in front of her, catching Erza off guard. Lucy continued to cry as she held tightly. "But I am not as powerful as you think. I cannot tell my father that I wish to leave and pursue wizardry. And I can't even ask him about Na-"

She shut her mouth when she realized what she was saying, her eyes going wide. She couldn't tell anyone about Natsu. Not until she found out more about the situation, at least. This was her secret, this was her rebellion. She knew how stupid it was; this was something that probably should have been out in the open. But she wanted to figure this out. For once, she wanted to feel like she did something on her own. She wasn't even allowed to dress herself in the morning on her own. It was irritating, and she would switch places with Erza or Gray any day.

"Eh?"

"Nothing." Lucy shook her head and buried it in Erza's shoulder. The other girl didn't hug back, but Lucy felt better after hugging her. She pulled away, wiping her eyes and chuckling softly. "Sorry, I don't know what's come over me."

Erza put her hand on Lucy's shoulder, the only way she was able to show empathy. "It's okay to cry sometimes."

"The same goes to you, Erza."

She seemed to be taken aback by Lucy's words, taking her hand off of the celestial mage's shoulder. She stood up again and brushed off her armor that didn't look dirty at all. In fact, it glistened like crystal in the moonlight. "Be sure to go back to your room soon. Okay? Just because I let you off the hook doesn't mean those maids of yours will."

Lucy nodded and waved as Erza walked away even though the red head didn't once look back. She wanted to confine in Erza because she did consider the older girl to be her friend, but she didn't know if she could trust that she wouldn't go back and tell her father everything. As long as he was signing their checks, Lucy couldn't trust either Erza or Gray fully.

She didn't know how long she sat by the pond for. Maybe an hour. Maybe even two. But the moon was high and the crickets started to die down as she walked slowly back to the mansion, sneaking back in and up to her room with ease. She had snuck out to walk through the gardens many times when she was younger, so she knew where the maids were so late at night if any were still awake. She let out a breath of relief as she closed her bedroom door behind her, leaning her back against the wall for a solid minute as she caught her breath.

Once she did, she collapsed onto the silk sheets of her bed. She was praying for sleep to find her because she knew she would be woken up early to go to some sort of meeting with her father that she didn't at all care about. Plus, she wanted to get some library time in tomorrow and - maybe - go back to see Natsu. It must have been lonely sitting down there by himself. Did he even have any friends? Family? Why did he have horns and scales? Like Erza, Natsu was a mystery. Lucy closed her eyes, but sleep refused to come. Her mind kept going back to Natsu, sitting in a cold, dark cell without any food or water. She sat up quickly. Were they feeding him? No matter the bad things he's done, no one deserved to starve.

She threw her legs over the side of the bed when she realized going down there at this hour would be foolish. He was probably asleep, anyway. She decided to bring him a snack tomorrow when she talked to him. Maybe it would help him warm up to her - no pun intended.

She groaned. "Dammit, why can't I sleep?" she grumbled to herself, tossing and turning in the bed but unable to get comfortable. Lucy spent the rest of the night tossing and turning until her sheets were on the floor and one of her pillows was at her feet. She didn't even fall asleep until the sound of crickets turned to the sound of birds and the sun was poking itself through her curtains.

* * *

"Jude-dono, Lucy-sama is still asleep. Shall I wake her?"

"No. Let her sleep a little."

"But she has a meeting with-"

"I said leave her," Jude snapped, making the petite maid cower and shake in fear. She kept her eyes on the ground, her short hair pushed out of her face with a clip. Jude told her she wasn't allowed to have bangs because they made her look unprofessional, so she did whatever she could in order to keep him happy. She didn't want to see the worst side of him, after all. "I have a guest coming by the mansion today. Make sure my daughter - or anyone, for that matter - doesn't intrude on it." Jude never called anyone except Lucy by his or her name. He believed that was a privilege people of such a low class didn't deserve from someone as powerful as he.

The maid bowed. "Yes, Jude-dono."

Jude twirled his pen on his finger, ignoring the girl. His desk was neat and the pictures he once had of Layla and Lucy were long gone, packed away in a box he never planned to open again. That girl was always Layla's daughter. Jude never got along with her. In fact, she irritated him and he wished she would grow up. "Are you done? Leave," he said, waving to the maid who scurried out of the room as if she were on fire. Jude groaned; he hated how idiotic his staff was. They never seemed to get that they were inferior to him. "What _now_?" he demanded, annoyance in his voice, when he saw the same maid poke her head back in the door.

She flinched at how rude he was to her. She was terrified of him, and he loved it. "My apologies, Jude-dono. But someone is here to see you. He says you know who he is."

Jude sighed but he nodded, dropping the pen messily on his desk and leaning up in his chair to seem more intimidating. "Yes, yes. Send him in," he said impatiently.

The sound of boots and chains got louder as Jude's guest got closer. The older man grinned when he saw him, looking up at the younger man. "Good to see you're early. Punctuality is always a plus." He paused, leaning forward on the desk. "Now, let's discuss the basis of your job here."

 _"Gihi."_

* * *

Lucy skipped down the stairs with a plate of cookies in her hands. Virgo had found this entrance for her to use instead of making holes in the floors every time she wanted to go down there. She had her keys with her, just in case. When she woke up, it was already the afternoon and one of the maids told her that she didn't have to go to any meetings or brunches today. Relieved, she decided on a simple dress yet again. It fell to the floor, but its fabric was thin cotton and hugged her curves nicely. She felt free in it, and she wished she never had to wear a corset again.

Her keys jingled as she made her way down the stairs quickly. She kept her eyes on the ground as she did, not wanting to trip and fall over. She already lied to the kitchen staff, saying that she was going to bring these cookies to Gray. She hoped that if they asked him about it, he would cover for her. There was no way in hell they would give her _cookies_ to give to the _dragon_.

 _Wait._ She stopped walking when she realized something. Did he even eat cookies? Maybe he hated them. Maybe he was allergic to milk or chocolate and these would kill him! Sure, Lucy wasn't his biggest fan, but she didn't want to kill him. She wanted him to answer her questions before he died.

It was almost obvious that he was going to be put up to execution. He destroyed countless amounts of towns without a care in the world. People would vote for it, saying it would be best for the entire population. After yesterday, though, Lucy wasn't sure she believed that to be true anymore. Maybe her mother was right; maybe he was just misunderstood. Lyra's beautiful song was taken from him, after all.

Lucy started walking again with a shrug. It couldn't hurt to try. However, she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the sound of voices. "Dammit!" She ducked into a dark corner, the wall cold against her back. She strained her ears in hopes of catching the voices. One was Natsu's. She remembered the hoarseness of his voice. But the second voice was strange to Lucy.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" Natsu hissed.

The second voice chuckled. "Don't you want to get out of here, ya pyro?"

"And how are _you_ going to get me out?" he challenged.

"You really are an idiot. I ain't gonna beg for your mercy. You've got to trust me and the plan. So stop being an asshole and eat." The man kicked a plate of food back into Natsu's cell. "You can't die or I'll kill you."

"That makes no sense."

The man groaned. "Just shut up and behave. Stupid, ungrateful pyro."

Lucy pressed her back farther against the wall as she heard the sound of boots coming closer to her. The man must have been leaving. Lucy prayed he didn't see her. Or smell the cookies. They were fresh, after all.

The man stopped about five feet away from her. She couldn't see his face, but she saw his silhouette. He was a large man at least twice the size of Lucy in both height and width. She could see his arms bulging with muscles and his hair was down to his waist in unruly curls. He inhaled and Lucy held her breath. He was terrifying, and she hadn't even seen his face. She wondered who this guy was and how he knew Natsu was here. He shook his head and walked towards the stairs, mumbling something to himself about how much he hated "that fucking idiot."

Lucy waited a few minutes after she didn't hear him anymore to come out of her hiding spot. She wanted to make sure he was really gone. She took a deep breath, walking in the direction of Natsu. Now, she had even more questions than she had answers, and it was frustrating her.

When she saw Natsu sitting in the same place he was when she left yesterday and chowing down on some sort of meat, she had no idea what she was going to say to him. He devoured all the meat off the bone like some sort of animal which made Lucy swallow hard. She remembered now that he could probably eat her just like that.

He perked his head up before she could say anything, making eye contact with her. "Cookies?" he asked. "And peaches again."

Lucy frowned. She had washed her hair a mere hour ago, so the scent of her shampoo was probably stronger now. It still made her uneasy. She cleared her throat and walked closer with his head held high. She was not feeling confident at all, but her mother told her that if she acted confident, she would one day be confident herself.

Natsu, however, didn't see through it for a second. "Do you always grind your teeth when you're nervous?"

Lucy stopped dead in her tracks. Her brown eyes were wide. How did he notice that? She frowned and kneeled down in front of the cell, coming eye-to-eye with him. She kept her attention on his more human eye; that way she would be a lot less intimidated by him. "Here," she said, holding out the plate of cookies and completely ignoring his question. Her hands were shaking, but she kept her mouth in a straight line. He seemed to be able to read her, so she had to make sure she was unreadable. She refused to be manipulated by him.

He looked at the cookies, back up at her, and over again a few times. "Are they poisonous?"

Lucy gave him a confused look. "Eh? No!" She shook her head rapidly and he raised his eyebrows at her. "I just thought you might be hungry." Though Natsu didn't seem to buy it at all, he took the plate and Lucy pulled her hands away as fast as she could. "And there's something else," she added after he took a bite of the cookie. He groaned but encouraged her to go on. "I have some questions for you. I'd like some answers." Since she didn't get the chance to go to the library today after sleeping in, she had a lot more questions coming here than she originally intended.

"I have a question for you, too." Natsu put the place aside and put his face close to the bars. Lucy leaned back, looking like she was staring at a ghost, her skin noticeably pale even in this dark atmosphere. "What's a princess doing here cozying up to the dragon, huh? Shouldn't you be sipping tea right about now? Or going to marriage meetings?" He scoffed, leaning back against the wall. He seemed irritated. "Just go back to being the princess that you are. Stop coming down here. I don't want to get my head cut off if your precious daddy finds out you've been rebelling."

His words were starting to piss Lucy off and she clenched her fists at her sides. She wanted to scream at him and tell him that he was wrong, that she wasn't the princess everyone made her out to be. But that would be going too far. He didn't deserve to know her private life or her thoughts. That was reserved for special people like Gray and Erza. "I'm trying to help you and I don't even get a thank you. Who taught you manners? An ape?" Lucy was never one to get mean to people. In fact, once the words left her lips, she regretted them. She wanted to apologize, say she didn't mean it. But seeing the flames in his eyes kept her quiet.

In a flash, he was standing up, his hands gripping the bars so tightly. Fire erupted from his hands and his legs and Lucy scurried back to the wall. A vein on his forehead was popping out, which seemed to happen a lot to him when he got angry. It would really burst if he didn't learn to control his temper. "Don't you dare call my father an ape!"

Lucy stood up as well, but she kept her back to the wall.

"You think you can come down here and give me cookies and then we'll be friends? Hah! I know what you're trying to do, princess. You're trying to get my guard down so you can strike me. Your friends didn't hesitate in arresting me and your father didn't hesitate to bring me here, so what makes me think you're not just like them? A spoiled little girl who doesn't know her own limits." His knuckles tightened around the bars and the flame only got bigger and bigger.

To say she was terrified would be an understatement. She didn't know what to do. He was making so much noise with all the yelling that she worried someone would hear them and she would get caught. She had to think on her feet. There had to be something that she could say that would get him to calm down. She couldn't bring out any of her spirits because then he would think she was declaring some sort of war on him.

She looked at him for a moment. His chest rose and fell rapidly. His clothes were ripped in places and she was honestly surprised at how much he looked like a human. The only things not human about him were the horns, the scales, and his left eye. He was clearly very strong, no matter what he was. He wasn't able to melt the fireproof bars, but he still had all that power after destroying a town and being locked up for two days. There was something admirable in that. She heard her mother's voice in the back of her head telling her that everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt. Even Natsu.

Even though her heart was pounding and her hands were shaking like leaves, Lucy stepped closer to him, only getting close enough for him to not be able to reach her if he tried to grab her. She didn't dare get any closer; there was no way she was going to take that kind of risk. "Natsu," she said, her voice showing more bravado than she felt. "You need to calm down. You're acting childish. I'm sorry I insulted your father. Okay? But know that I am not here to hurt you or manipulate you. I am the daughter of the owner of this mansion, yes. But my father and I..." She trailed off, remembering not to give him any of the details about her personal life. "Look, I just came here because I wanted to talk to you. I want to know why the hell you're imprisoned here in my home. And why my father signed the papers." _And who that guy was just now._ She kept herself quiet about that. He was already pissed enough, she didn't want to piss him off more by telling him she was eavesdropping on his conversation.

Natsu frowned, the fire surrounded his legs going out completely. The fire in his hands, though, stayed intact. Lucy, however, was able to relax a bit. "You don't know why I'm here?" he asked and Lucy shook her head. "Shit. I was kind of hoping you would because I don't, either."

Lucy's mouth fell open. Was he serious?! Even he didn't know why he was here. This was a lot more complicated than she originally thought it would be. "Well, I don't." She sat back down on the floor and so did he, exterminating his flames. He picked up a cookie and shoved it into his mouth. Lucy didn't understand how someone could have such bad manners.

"Tell you what," he started, his mouth half full of cookies. "Since these are pretty good, I'll allow one pass. You can ask me anything. _One question only_. And I'll answer it without diverting it or being an ass."

"Really?" Lucy asked, and when Natsu nodded, she got to thinking. If there was one question she wanted an answer to, which would it be? There were so many to choose from. She tapped her chin in thought as she heard Natsu groan from impatience. After what felt like an eternity to him, Lucy snapped her fingers. "I got it! Okay," she cleared her throat, "Why do you look like a dragon?"

Natsu was silent for a long time, just staring at her. She was going to pipe up and tell him to hurry up when he started laughing. "Shouldn't you be asking why a dragon looks human?"

Lucy glared at him. "You said no diverting!"

"I'm not," he said slowly, clearly annoyed with Lucy. "I am a dragon."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't give me that crap. You're clearly a human who looks like a dragon. You know how I can tell? Your one good eye. That's all human," she stated and Natsu looked almost taken aback. "Now answer my question." She knew someone would soon notice she was gone and start looking for her. The last thing she needed was to be caught because if they found Gray, Lucy wouldn't be there and not only would she get in trouble for being down in the dungeons, but she would get in trouble for lying, too. She didn't want another slap or another shove. She shuddered at the thought.

He sighed heavily. "Fine. You're right. I was a human once, just like you. But I'm cursed. Isn't it obvious? Being the evil fire breathing dragon is what I was born to do. I was raised by a dragon. It's only natural that I become one myself."

Lucy was shocked beyond belief to hear that. A dragon? She didn't think there was any such thing because the sightings were so rare, and he expected her to believed that he was _raised_ by one? Didn't he realize how ridiculous that sounded? "I don't understand," she said.

Natsu's stare was hard as stone. He let out a deep breath. "Listen, I know it's unbelievable, but it's true. When I was eight years old, Igneel left. He said he was going out and he never came back." His mouth was a straight line and Lucy knew that this wasn't something he normally like talking about. She was a bit impressed that he was keeping his word, though. Especially considering there really was nothing she could do to make him talk. "Terrified, I ran out to the nearest town. Ignoble taught me language, so I knew how to communicate. But they all laughed in my face. Hours went by and I was on the verge of giving up. Then a woman stopped me. I don't remember her name or what she looked like. But she convinced me that she could help me find Igneel.

"I told her that I knew fire dragon slayer magic. She must have thought it would be funny to leave this curse on me. I use magic that was made to slay dragons." He paused for a long while. Lucy couldn't read what he was thinking, but Lyra's song lyrics kept bouncing around in her head. "She said that if I became a dragon, Igneel would come back. I now know that was bullshit. But long story short, the curse is one that doesn't allow me to control my more powerful dragon slayer magic, the one that gives the user the physical qualities of a dragon. This magic is usually used in battles where regular dragon slayer magic isn't doing the job. That's why I have scales and horns, and why my eye is red. What's that look you're giving me? Not satisfied with my answer? I could lie and say I was born from a dragon, but I wasn't. I was born through normal people who didn't care if they left their baby in a dumpster."

Lucy blinked a few times. What was she supposed to say to that? She was sure he didn't know that he also told her that his birth parents abandoned him. She could guess from that that Igneel found him and raised him. She was silent for a long time, trying to get through her thoughts. She knew she must have looked like a deer in headlights. "So, er, what breaks the curse?"

Natsu folded his arms over his chest. "You asked your one question. I'm done answering." That was still more than she had asked for, so she quieted down. She knew she would have to warm up to him more if she wanted more answers. She didn't know how long she was sitting there with Natsu staring at the wall and her staring at the empty plates in front of him. "It's my turn," he said after a while, startling Lucy who gave him a confused look. "It's my turn to ask you a question. And you have to answer truthfully. I did, so it's only fair that you do too."

Lucy let out a breath through her nose, nodding once. If it would get him to trust her, she would do it.

"Alright," he said, eyeing her. "What is your relationship with your father?"

"Eh?" Why was he asking that? Lucy thought that was a stupid question, but his narrowing glare told her that she needed to answer him. The last thing she wanted to do was piss him off. He could burn her to a crisp if he wanted to. In fact, she was surprised he hadn't done so yet. "Er," she started, shaking her head as she tried to find the right words. "I don't have much of a relationship with him. My mother was always the string that kept our family together. But when she died, that string broke and my father and I fell apart. We have nothing in common. I want to go out into the world and practice wizardry. I want to be in a guild like my friends Gray and Erza. I want to take up jobs that involve using my magic and help people with it.

"But my father had another idea. He wants me to take over his company one day and marry a man just as power hungry and greedy as he is. He's tried marriage meetings and the like, but I hated them all. That isn't how love is supposed to work." Lucy shut her mouth when she realized how much of a tangent she was going on. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I hate him. That's my relationship with my father."

Lucy gasped when she felt a warm hand wrap around her forearm. Natsu pulled her closer, his eyes on her arm. Lucy swallowed hard, her heart beating fast and her face heating up. There was a warmth coming from Natsu. She knew it was probably just his fire magic, but there was something about it that made her want to get just a little bit closer...

"He do that to you?" He pointed to a fading bruise on her shoulder, his grip on her forearm tightening only slightly. Lucy's silence was answer enough for him and he released her arm, gritting his teeth. "Dammit, I hate bastards like him. How someone could raise an abusive hand towards his child..." A sound erupted from Natsu's throat that sounded an awful lot like a growl. "Looks like I'm not the only one trying to break out of a prison cell, Lucy Heartfilia."

* * *

Not long after that, Lucy and Natsu parted ways. He no longer wanted to talk and neither did she. She hugged her chest as she walked back towards her bedroom, her heart pounding and her cheeks burning. She could still feel where Natsu's hand was. It had scales on it, but it felt like a human hand. The ghost of it still lingered there, a gentle pressure that had her heart beating in her throat. He could have easily burned her with that grip, but there was no mark on her arm whatsoever. Maybe he really was warming up to her.

"Lucy Heartfilia-sama, there you are!" A maid with short hair ran up to Lucy, completely out of breath. "I've been...I mean, your father has been looking for you, Lucy Heartfilia-sama." The maid bowed and Lucy refrained from rolling her eyes. "He is in his office and requested to see you right away. Please, go to him, Lucy Heartfilia-sama."

Lucy knew that this woman was terrified of her father. So even though she wanted to make up some excuse like she was feeling sick, she nodded, placing her hand on the maid's shoulder. "Alright, I'll go."

The maid bowed as Lucy walked towards her father's office, saying "thank you" about ten times before Lucy got out of earshot. The mansion was always empty and it felt it, too. As Lucy walked up the stairs and through the halls, she didn't see a single soul. It was always lonely here, and she would have preferred a smaller home than this mansion any day. She never understood people who wanted to be rich and live in mansions. All money did was drive families apart; Lucy knew that much.

The wood creaked under her feet when she stopped in front of the mahogany door. She took a deep breath before raising her knuckles to the wood and knocking three times. "Come in, Lucy," she heard her father call from the room.

Lucy twisted the knob, the door opening with a loud creak. She stopped short when she saw that her father, sitting behind his desk the way he always did to look powerful, wasn't alone. Standing on his right side was a large man with piercings all over his body. Lucy's eyes widened because she recognized him as the same person who was talking to Natsu. He was grinning, his teeth sharp. His eyes were red and his long hair was pushed out of his face with a large headband. He came off as intimidating and Lucy tensed as a chill ran up her spine. "What's going on?" Lucy asked, her eyes going from the man and to her father.

"Lucy, this is Gajeel Redfox," her father said, nodding to the man whose eyes never once left Lucy and whose grin never once faltered. "I've hired him to be your bodyguard." Lucy was about to protest when her father held up his hand, shutting her up. "I will never feel comfortable with wizards like that dragon being in this world. He may have accomplices and they might try to interrogate you. Don't ask why, Lucy, it is not your business. But I hired Gajeel to watch over you and protect you. He will stay by your side and protect you."

"What about Gray or Erza?" she asked before he could say anything else. She would have rather had Erza or Gray be her body guard. At least she knew them and at least they weren't terrifying.

But Jude just shook his head. "While in their custody, you almost got hurt. They are not capable of the job. I've released them both of their duties. They went back to Fairy Tail this morning while you were sleeping." At those words, Lucy's heart sunk. They both left? And she didn't get to say goodbye? She remembered talking with Erza the night before and collapsing in her arms. She wished she could have said goodbye. She thought they were her friends. Did her father not wake her up on purpose? Lucy backed away, her back hitting the door. "Gajeel is more capable of getting the job done and getting it done right. You will not argue with me on this, Lucy."

Lucy frowned, but she kept her mouth shut. She looked back at Gajeel because she knew that if she kept looking at her father, she would lose the last of her temper. Her eyes caught the glimpse of the black emblem on his large bicep. Fairy Tail. When she caught his eyes, his grin only got wider.

"Lucy, you're going to show Gajeel around."

"Whatever," she mumbled under her breath. Lucy frowned and opened the door. She walked quickly out of the room only to be stopped by a hand wrapping around her arm and pulling her back. She didn't look him in the eye, but she did stop walking. "What?" she asked. She wanted to go back to her room. She wanted to talk to Gray or Erza and ask them what happened.

"You do realize you smell like fire."


	5. The Princess's Bodyguard

**Hello, everyone! I'm trying my best to make these chapters pretty long, so I hope you enjoy this one! Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my story, it means a lot to me!**

 **Warning: Some violent themes in this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer:** **I sadly don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

A week went by. A slow, agonizing week of Lucy being accompanied by Gajeel everywhere she went. The only place she got to be alone was in her bedroom and even then Gajeel waited outside until she was asleep. The two barely exchanged three words since he stopped her in the hall and accused her of smelling of fire. Then she had been too taken aback to say anything in return. She ended up laughing (extremely awkwardly) and speed walking away from him. She wondered if he knew that she was seeing Natsu, but if he did, he said nothing about it. Though she hadn't been able to go for six days because of Gajeel's constant presence by her side. It was growing to become irritating. It wasn't that he was a bad guy, but he didn't engage her in any conversation and she was starting to feel lonely. Even Natsu conversed with her. She hoped he was okay.

Now, they sat in the mansion's library. Lucy was flipping through one of her favorite books that she read at least five times, and Gajeel was sitting next to her. He looked bored as ever, his head on the table and his arms outstretched. He tended to always have a serious look on his face, but it was times like this that he looked more like a lost puppy.

Lucy pursed her lips, shutting her book and putting it on the table. She leaned her chin in the palm of her hand, looking over at him. "Who is she?"

Gajeel scowled. He grunted, but if it was a word, Lucy didn't understand it.

"There's a girl, isn't there? You miss her, so you've been moping around."

He looked away from her.

Lucy let out a frustrated breath. Every time she tried to talk to him, he refused to speak. She only heard him talking to Natsu in the dungeons a week ago. However, there was this one other time when Lucy woke up in the middle of the night. She heard muffled voices in the hallway and decided to listen in. She heard Gajeel talking to someone, probably on a communication lacrima. She didn't hear the conversation, but his tone of voice had been so different from the one he used when he was talking to Natsu. It was clear that there was someone he was missing. Someone who was probably back at Fairy Tail. She was itching for some entertainment herself, so she wanted to hear their story. "Come on, Gajeel. It's written all over your face. What's her name?"

"I ain't gonna tell you, blondie. Leave me alone." He sounded like a child having a tantrum and Lucy couldn't help but giggle. "What the hell are you giggling at now?" He looked over at her again, sitting up now. Lucy knew by now that he did that in order to look intimidating, but she wasn't scared of him anymore. "You ain't gonna leave me alone until I tell you, huh?"

Lucy shook her head. "You must be really missing her. Tell me about her. What's her name? How did you meet? Is she pretty? Is she-"

"Okay, shut up," he said, clasping his large hand over Lucy's mouth, annoyed by how much she was yapping. Gajeel groaned, taking his hand off of her mouth. "She's not my girlfriend, she..." He groaned again, a slight red color forming on his cheeks. Lucy wondered if he ever talked about his feelings with anyone before. He came off as scary, but she had a feeling he had a softer side. She also had a feeling this girl he was talking about saw his softer side, too. "If you're looking for a fairy tale story, this ain't it!"

"I don't care," Lucy said. "Tell me about her. I want to know everything up until this point."

Gajeel scratched the back of his neck. "If it'll get you to shut up, fine. It started one year ago when I was part of a guild called Phantom Lord."

* * *

The moon was high and the crickets were singing. Gajeel used the iron in his feet to hang upside down from the ceiling in the Phantom Lord guild hall. He tended to hide in the shadows instead of being seen. The only people he talked to were the Element 4, and out of those, he usually had all of his conversations with The Rain Woman, Juvia. It helped that the two had so much in common. They were both misfits trying to find a place in this world and they both spent little time in the guild hall.

"Where is Gajeel? Juvia needs to speak with Gajeel right away."

At the sound of the blue haired woman's voice and the pattering of the rain on the windows, Gajeel jumped down from his hiding place, landing easily on his feet, almost like a cat. He had good coordination for someone his size. "What?" he demanded, but he knew it must have been important because Juvia seldom came into the guild hall. Because she brought rain with her everywhere she went, she tended to stay back from other people. Gajeel knew that she hated putting people in a bad mood, and that was just what the rain did to moods. He pitied her in a way, but he would never let that be known.

"Does Gajeel have time to talk with Juvia?" the girl asked, walking up to him. She had a hopeful look in her dark blue eyes. She held her closed umbrella over her shoulder. Her clothes looked more like winter ones than summer, which is what it was. "Juvia needs to speak with Gajeel in private."

Gajeel never understood why she always referred to herself in the third person, but he was so used to it by now that he didn't ask anymore. "Yeah, sure, we can talk." People always asked him why he was kind to Juvia when he was an asshole to just about everyone else. He didn't know why himself, but she was a kind hearted person and she helped him out when he needed it, asking for nothing in return. He felt the need to protect her like an older brother would with a younger sister. Plus, she was extremely sensitive and if he yelled at her, she would cry, and Gajeel didn't know how to deal with crying women.

Juvia nodded. She looked almost relieved. "Juvia will take Gajeel back to her house. It is very important."

Gajeel followed Juvia back to her home in silence. It was still raining and her pink umbrella was only big enough for one person. Besides, there was no way in hell Gajeel would be caught dead underneath a pink umbrella. He could handle a little rain. He wasn't called Black Steel Gajeel for nothing. It wasn't until he was sitting on her couch, ringing out his hair with a towel, that the silence was broken. "What was so important? I ain't got all night here."

Juvia nodded. She was sitting in a chair across from him, her hands on her knees. Her back wasn't against the back of the chair, making Gajeel feel a bit uneasy and nervous. "There is something Gajeel needs to know. It is about Fairy Tail."

Cocking his head to the side, Gajeel said, "What are you talking about?"

Juvia let out a breath fiddling with her fingers. "Master Jose told Juvia that he is planning to attack Fairy Tail. Juvia thought Gajeel should know."

"And why the fuck would I care?" he asked. Did she really drag him all the way here in the _rain_ for this?

Juvia started shaking her head, her tight curls bouncing as she did. Even though she was eccentric, Gajeel still cared for her and he knew that if anyone else talked to her the way he did, he would probably beat them up. He had no romantic feelings for her. He thought he did once, but it ended up being too weird and he hated it. So he stuck with being her brotherly figure. "Juvia thinks that Master Jose is going to ask Gajeel to attack Fairy Tail members. Juvia doesn't want Gajeel to do it. Juvia doesn't want Gajeel to hurt anyone." She was staring down at her lap as she spoke.

"Juvia, I-"

"Juvia doesn't want Gajeel to get hurt! Juvia knows Gajeel is strong and has strong magic, but she can't stand the idea of him getting injured!" She was shouting and, for a moment, Gajeel thought he saw a tear spill from her eye.

He tensed, leaning back his his chair. He wasn't good with crying girls. He didn't know how to comfort people; he wasn't exactly the first person others went to if they wanted comforting. The rain hitting the windows got harder and louder as Juvia got more emotional. Gajeel wasn't a fan of the rain, being an iron dragon slayer, but he would never tell her that. She herself had never once seen the sun; she had it much worse than he did. If one of his piercings rusted, it didn't matter in the long run. "Juvia," he started, putting his hands out in front of him but not moving closer to her. "Calm down, will you, woman?"

Juvia covered her hands with her eyes. The last time she cried like this in front of Gajeel was when they found out about their similar pasts, but those tears were different and Gajeel still didn't know how to comfort people. "Gajeel is Juvia's best friend! She loves him very much." Gajeel wondered if she was covering her eyes so he wouldn't have to see her sad.

"Juvia..."

Juvia shook her head, shutting him up. He stayed in his spot on the couch, feeling extremely uncomfortable. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her coat, taking a deep breath. "Juvia worries that Gajeel will make a mistake. Those fairies are not ones to mess with."

"You know I can handle myself," Gajeel stated. "And so can you, Juvia. Yeah, you need to control those tears of yours better, but you're one of our strongest, too. I have faith in you, so, please, have faith in me."

Gajeel spent the next twenty minutes talking to Juvia until she stopped crying. That was the only way Gajeel figured he could cheer her up. However, by the time he left and started walking down the streets in the rain, he was beat. The idea of going back to the guild hall and chowing down on some iron was tempting enough to make his mouth water. And once he was back, he ignored all the other members of Phantom Lord who were trying to talk to him. He hated when people talked to him when he was eating. He didn't even have to say a word; the bartender knew what he wanted and she handed him a bowl of objects made of iron.

"How many times have I gotta tell you," Gajeel growled to the middle aged man who sat on the stool next to him and started talking about some nonsense or other. "Quit talking to me while I'm eating." But when the man wouldn't _shut the fuck up_ , Gajeel punched him square in the jaw with his iron arm. The man hit the wall and Gajeel kept on eating, the iron making him feel stronger and more awake.

"Dammit, Gajeel," the man mumbled, holding his now bleeding nose. The blood didn't phase Gajeel, who just shrugged. "We'll have to call Juvia over here to knock some sense into him," he said to the rest of the bar with a laugh. Gajeel tightened his grip on the nail in his hand, bending the iron. "You know how he only listens to her. Who knew such a weirdo could make Gajeel her _bitch_."

Slamming his fist down on the table, Gajeel stood up. His shoulders shook with anger and his eyes were hard enough to make the man cower under his gaze. "I don't give a single shit if you insult me," he said, his voice low, menacing. He noticed a girl hiding herself under one of the tables in the hall and he smirked. The power he held in this guild was liberating. "But insult Juvia again and I'll fucking kill you. You got it?"

The man was shaking. "Y-Y-Yes."

"Good." Gajeel tightened his fingerless gloves. "Put my dinner on his tab," he said to the bartender who nodded almost immediately. He knew she was afraid of him too. Everyone cleared out of his way as he headed for the door and out of the guild.

It stopped raining, which meant Juvia either calmed down or went to sleep. Either way, it was a relief to see because it meant she was feeling okay. She was like his sister and he would protect her with his life. He made her that promise when she told him about her past, and he wasn't one to go back on his word. As he was walking down the street, his hands buried in his pants pockets, he didn't realize that he was alone and rammed right into someone, knocking her down pretty easily. "Shit, uh..." She was a rather small person and her glare made Gajeel chuckle from how adorable it looked. She huffed, clearly annoyed that he was laughing when she was trying to be intimidating. "Didn't see you there, shrimp."

The girl had short blue hair pushed back with a large headband that reminded Gajeel of his own. She puffed out her cheeks and Gajeel laughed again. "Don't call me shrimp!" she said, putting her hands on her hips. She was easily half the size of Gajeel, the top of her head barely meeting his chest. "You should watch where you're going." She brushed off her clothes. "Because now I'm all wet and it's all _your_ fault," she accused, poking his chest and making him cock an eyebrow.

"You're just so short, I didn't see you walking there."

That seemed to make her angry because her face turned a light shade of pink. Gajeel was more than amused. "You don't have to be such an ass."

Gajeel reached out and patted her head. That only seemed to piss her off more, but he was smiling. "I wonder if you can fit in my pocket!" He was just messing around with her, but he was smiling. She, on the other hand, looked like she wanted to murder him.

"It's your fault my dress is dirty. You should buy me a new one." She held up her nose to seem taller, but Gajeel wasn't buying it.

"What kinda logic is that?" he mused.

The girl looked down at her backside which was, in fact, covered in water and dirt from the rain earlier. "I just so happen to have a date tonight. I can't show up like this!"

Gajeel cocked an eyebrow at her. "A date? At ten in the evening? That ain't a date."

The girl's cheeks puffed out again, reminding Gajeel of a hamster with food stuffed in its cheeks. Sure, there were many short girls in Phantom, but they weren't as cute as this one. Wait...Cute? He shook his head; he figured he was just in need of sleep and that was why he was thinking like this. "Well, I got on the wrong train to come here at first. I'm not from here, I'm from Magnolia."

Gajeel was a bit taken aback. He knew that was where Fairy Tail resided. What the hell was a fairy doing in Phantom territory? Gajeel had a bad feeling about this. If her date was with a man from Phantom, he knew it wouldn't end well. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, pressing his lips firmly together. "A fairy, huh?" He kept his composure easily, and she seemed to fall for it because she stomped her small foot on the concrete.

"Excuse me," she said, but Gajeel could tell she wanted to argue further with him judging from the redness of her face and the lack of eye contact with him. "I have somewhere to be, so can you please step out of the way?" The girl side-stepped to the left, but Gajeel only followed her, side-stepping to his left. "What do you want?" she asked, sounding exasperated.

"Gihi," he chuckled. "I was just wonderin' why a fairy like you would agree to a date with a Phantom Lord member."

"That is none of your business." She tried to leave again, but Gajeel put his hand on the wall beside her, blocking her path. She rolled her eyes. "Seriously, what do you want?"

Gajeel frowned because he _didn't actually know_. "A date with a phantom is only gonna give you trouble, shrimp. He'd stomp on you like a little bug."

She was silent for a long moment, her lips pressed together. It wasn't until a minute later when a sound escaped her lips: a laugh. She was _laughing_. Clutching her stomach with one hand and her mouth with the other, she shook her head at him. Her laughing only pissed Gajeel off and he frowned. Was she laughing at him? He didn't tolerate people laughing at him, but it wasn't like he could use his usual tactic on her. She was so small, he was sure that if he punched her away, he would kill her.

"What the hell is so amusing?"

It took a while for her to catch her breath, tears lining her eyes from the laughter. Gavel's blood boiled. "You don't even know my name and you're acting like you know me. You don't even know my name."

"Tell me it, then."

She hadn't been expecting him to say that, the last of her chuckles completely dying down. She stared up at him with wide brown eyes that made Gajeel feel a bit nervous. "Eh?"

"Did you not hear me, shrimp? Tell me your name." Gajeel didn't understand why she was acting so strangely. Did he say something to upset her? He wouldn't be surprised if he did; people feared him for a reason and the roughness of his voice didn't help.

The wind began to pick up, blowing the girl's hair over her face as she stared up at Gajeel in shock. Confused and, frankly, uncomfortable, Gajeel took a step away from her. When she realized her hair was in her face, she pulled it out and shook her head, bringing herself back into reality. "Levy McGarden," she stated with bravado. "Now let me pass, Gajeel Redfox."

Gajeel's eyes widened at her words. She...knew his name? He stepped aside and as she walked away, he couldn't help but watch her. Levy. Even though he only knew that much about her, he was still uneasy about her going on a date with a phantom. She had the Fairy Tail mark on her left shoulder blade, and he had a feeling this wasn't going to end well. Maybe Master Jose asked someone else to attack Fairy Tail besides Gajeel. Shaking his head, he headed off in the direction of his apartment. This shouldn't have bothered him in the slightest. He wasn't Fairy Tail's biggest fan. The fact that Levy knew his name meant that they knew what to look out for in the likely event of a way between Phantom and Fairy.

He got to the front door within a couple minutes and was looking through his keys for the right one. Blocking the front door was a rusty gate, closed with an even rustier lock. The paint on the door was chipped so badly that Gajeel once cut his palm open when he brushed his hand against the door by accident. He wanted to move to a more fancy apartment, but there was no way in hell he could afford it. Though that was his fault. He was an S Class wizard, but he only took one job a month, if that. He spent the rest pf his time training and bulking himself up, which had definitely paid off. Finding the key, he tuck it in the lock and twisting. Pulling open the gate resulted in a very loud squeak that he knew would wake people on the first floor.

"Dammit," he grumbled when the gate got stuck (again). He shoved the gate so hard it fell off the hinges, falling face down on the sidewalk with a loud bang. Gajeel just waved it off. He didn't think that was his problem. If only the owners got a less shitty gate, everything would be fine. He tended to crash at Juvia's for the sole reason that his apartment was a shit hole and hers was a lot nicer. He climbed the stairs to the fourth floor and stopped at the number 45. He searched for a second key, starting to get seriously pissed off. And when the key got stuck in the lock, Gajeel was ready to rip the door right off of its hinges. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me." After much wiggling, he was able to pull the key free from its prison, tossing his ring of keys on the coffee table already covered with papers and a cup from the beer he drank the night before. He picked it up to put it in the sink when the paper it had been resting on caught his eye. It had a wet ring from the glass, the words where it was smudged to the point where they weren't legible. He picked up the paper and put the glass right back where it was, knowing he wouldn't move it until the next day, probably.

His own handwriting was scratchy and he could barely read it himself. But he recognized the page as one of the profiles he did on some of the fairies. Master Jose told him to spy on some of the fairies, get a just of what they were up against. All he saw was the name, scribbled on the top of the paper crookedly. _Levy McGarden. Script mage. Other unknown._ "I need to add gullible to this list." Gajeel threw the paper and stood up. "Shit," he grumbled. "That stupid girl." He knew she was going to get hurt. What he didn't know was why he cared so much. He tended to hurt people all the time and give zero fucks, but he didn't like the idea of her getting her hopes up only to get them stomped on.

And the next thing he knew he was back downstairs and walking by the now broken gate. He didn't know where they would be, but he figured checking the guild hall would be the best place to start. When he got there, he was livid. He couldn't believe he was wasting so much time on some stupid girl who didn't know she was being fooled. For someone who was supposed to be a smart script mage, she was awfully dumb, he thought. He busted through the doors, making everyone in the hall jump and most of them cower. "Where the fuck is she?"

"What are you going on about now?" A man with sunglasses on and a cigarette between his teeth was the one who spoke up. He was balding and Gajeel knew he was a generation older than himself.

Gajeel gritted his teeth. "The fairy girl. Where is she?" He was getting impatient.

"The hell are you blabbering about? There ain't no fairy here."

Gajeel grabbed the man's shirt and lifted him from his seat. A few people gasped and started whispering to each other, but Gajeel was so used to it by now that he didn't even notice. The man recoiled, trying to pull back, but Gajeel's grip was too strong. He wasn't the most powerful wizard in Phantom Lord for no reason. "You're lying."

A laugh erupted from Gajeel's right and he turned his head immediately. He saw a Phantom member called Haru. He wasn't a strong wizard. In fact, it wasn't until recently that Gajeel even knew he existed. He used a form of holder magic that Gajeel didn't care about enough to learn about. His dark hair fell over his eyes, making him look about fifteen. His arms were folded over his chest and his grin me Gajeel want to punch him in the face.

Gajeel removed his hands from the older man who fell onto the chair and swore about how it hurt. Gajeel wasn't paying attention; his eyes were on Haru. A girl ran out of his way, probably afraid of him like everyone else was. "What's so damn funny?"

Haru shrugged and shook his head. "I think it's cute how you're worried about the tiny girl."

Gajeel growled. "I ain't worried!" he defended, but even he knew he was. He wouldn't have come back here if he weren't.

"Then go back home. You're causing a scene again."

Gajeel was about to retort when the sound of a blood-curdling scream sounded throughout the hall. It was female, he knew that much. People in the hall started talking to each other, many of them confused but none of them getting up to do anything about it. Haru was still smirking by the bar and Gajeel knew that he was one of the people behind this.

"No wonder Master Jose didn't ask you to do this job. _Pathetic,_ " he sneered. "She's just some stupid fairy."

Gajeel's iron fist smashed into the bar, inches from Haru's face. His eyes were wide, Gajeel's narrow. He didn't say anything as he walked towards the stairs, ramming into Haru's shoulder so hard that the other male fell over. "As much as I hate those fairies, attacking women is disgusting." He scowled at Haru before turning his back and running up the stairs of the guild hall. Even though that hall was for S class wizards, not a lot of people spent time there. The Element 4 tended to mind their own business, and so did Gajeel. They didn't see a point in hanging around a guild hall for hours upon hours a day drinking. Gajeel could do that at home and not have to be surrounded by a bunch of idiots.

Upon getting to the top of the stairs, he saw Levy sprawled out on the couch, her dress torn and her hair being pulled by a brown haired man that Gajeel didn't recognize. She was unconscious, but the man continued to pull her hair and a second man - one with dark hair - was drawing Phantom Lord guild marks all over her small body. Blood dried on her chin, probably from being hit when she struggled. Gajeel clenched his fists by his sides, his blood boiling. As much as he hated Fairy Tail, this was going way too far. " _Get. Away. From. Her,_ " he growled, making the two men turn to look at him. The man painting her body just smirked, his teeth an off shade of yellow.

The man who was pulling her hair whistled. "Look what we have here. It's Black Steel Gajeel. Come to join in on the fun?" He let go of her hair. "You want a shot at her?"

Gajeel gritted his teeth.

"Yeah!" the darker haired guy said. "She's awful cute. Wouldn't you just love to overpower her?" He pushed her right leg so it fell off of the dark couch, leaving her legs almost wide open. Gajeel had to restrain from killing him.

Gajeel wasn't the nicest person on the planet. In fact, he was kind of an ass. He didn't hold the door open for people, he got into fights almost every single day, and he scared off every girl who tried to confess to him. He hated everyone in the guild aside from Juvia and he scowled at everyone who came within two feet of him. But when he bumped into Levy, he smiled. He smiled and teased her, and that was something he hadn't done in a long time. Juvia had been the only one who saw Gajeel's real smile before earlier this evening when he displayed it for a perfect stranger. "Touch her again and I'll snap your fucking neck." He grabbed the dark haired male's shirt and threw him against the wall, his glare enough to send the second one running back down the stairs.

"What the fuck's your problem, asshole?" the man groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "You're the one always going on and on about how much you hate the fairies. Here's your chance to get even on them." He pointed to Levy who was still unconscious.

Gajeel used his iron chainsaw arm, crashing it into the wall right next to his head. "Get the fuck out before I cut off your head."

When he left, Gajeel went over to Levy, awkwardly fixing her legs and even more awkwardly fitting her onto his back so he could carry her out. He stood up when he felt her hands tighten around his shirt. He hadn't realized how small her hands were before. When she spoke, her voice was hoarse and she kept her eyes closed. "Is that you, Jet?" she asked. Gajeel's eyes widened and he kept quiet. "I told you not to follow me here." She buried her face in his back and Gajeel sucked in a nervous breath. He felt her smile against his back. "Thank you for saving me, Jet. I owe you one."

Gajeel frowned, but he kept quiet. If she knew it was him and not whoever Jet was, she might freak out. And he just wanted to make sure that she was alright. He would get her on a train back to Magnolia and she would never know he wasn't Jet. He closed his hands around her thighs and her arms wrapped around his neck, her breathing even. He wondered if she lost consciousness again.

"Oh, you ain't going anywhere."

Gajeel stopped short when he saw Haru standing at the top of the stairs, leaning against the wall and grinning like a douche. Gajeel growled. "Move," he said simply. He walked towards the stairs, but Hary blocked his path.

"Where're you going, Gajeel?" Haru shoved Gajeel's shoulder, but he didn't stumble. He was much bigger than Haru, and it would take a much bigger blow to knock him off his feet.

"I said, get out of my way. I ain't gonna hesitate to knock you off the banister." He tightened his grip on Levy's thighs, not wanting her to fall. She was so small, he was worried she would break. He had this overwhelming urge to protect her, and the fact that he liked the way her arms were wrapped around his neck made his face flush. Was that the touch Juvia talked about when she gave him a lecture on soul mates and how the "one for him" was out there somewhere? No, impossible. He just met her and she thought he was someone called Jet. There was no way she was his "one".

"I don't think you can do that with your hands up her skirt." Haru was smirking and Gajeel was three seconds away from punching that smirk right off of his face. But he couldn't because if he let go of Levy, she would fall and get hurt.

But he could still use his feet.

Gajeel kicked his foot out and tripped Haru so he fell onto the floor with a loud thump. He then put his boot covered foot on his chest and pressed down, Haru staring up at him with wide brown eyes. Gajeel scowled. "Touch this girl again and I kill you. Do you hear me?" When Haru didn't nod, Gajeel pressed his boot down harder on his chest. He gasped but nodded. "Gihi," he chuckled, taking his foot off of him. He didn't, however, leave without kicking him in the side of the head.

* * *

Lucy kept her eyes on Gajeel as he stopped talking. He wasn't looking at her. She was actually staring at the back of his head, and his voice was barely a whisper as he told her about Levy. "So...Does she knew it was you and not that Jet person?" she asked, pressing her lips together. But when Gajeel shook his head, she frowned. "You need to tell her! She deserves to know who the person who saved her is. You're in Fairy Tail now, aren't you? So obviously you redeemed yourself from Phantom Lord."

Gajeel let out a breath. "The old man found me after our guilds went to war. I was living on the streets. He offered to let me join Fairy Tail. I agreed, but it took a lot to get them to accept me. Juvia joined soon after because she fell in love with some ice wizard."

An ice wizard...from Fairy Tail. "You mean Gray?" Lucy asked. She wondered why Gray didn't tell her about Juvia. She must have been a nice person from what Gajeel told her, so why didn't he say there was a woman who loved him back at the guild? So maybe it was better that he and Erza went back. Lucy talked to Erza once, but she hadn't heard from Gray at all. She wondered if her father was right and neither of them was actually her friend.

He grunted, nodding. "Yeah, Gray. She follows him like a lost puppy. It's kind of sad."

Lucy frowned.

She was about to say something else when Gajeel spoke again, this time looking at her and this time his voice louder. "Now that I told you a personal story about me," he started. Lucy knew that he was in love with Levy and she wondered if he knew that he was. He didn't seem to, but the idea of her being with Jet while he was here seemed to have him moping. "You need to tell me something personal about you, bunny girl."

Lucy blinked. He had started calling her bunny girl when he saw her walking around in her bunny slippers. He laughed and called her that or "blondie" instead of Lucy ever since. "Er," she stammered. "Sure, I guess." She bit her bottom lip, unsure of what to expect. The sun had started to set outside and she wondered if she would be able to sneak past Gajeel tonight to talk to Natsu. She wondered if he missed her or if he was wondering why she hadn't talked to him in six days. An even smaller part of her really hoped he did.

Gajeel's mouth was a straight line, his expression impossible to read. Lucy's mouth fell open slightly as she waited for his question, her heart picking up its speed. "You've seen Natsu, haven't you?"

Lucy's eyes widened. She wasn't expecting him to ask her that and she wanted to defer the conversation back to him again. Her face heated and her words came out jumbled and fast. "Eh? Oh, er, I guess you could, uh, say that," she said, shrugging and avoiding all eye contact with him.

"And you're the one who was down there when I was. I smelled you. Well, I smelled cookies mostly, but now I know you wear lavender perfume and that was a smell down there too." It wasn't a question. Lucy stayed quiet, so Gajeel took that as a yes. She wondered how he and Natsu were able to smell so well. She knew Natsu used Dragon Slayer magic, but she had no idea what kind of magic Gajeel used. "Did you know that he's part of Fairy Tail, too?"

"Huh?!"

Gajeel smirked. "So he didn't tell you, then?" He chuckled. "I ain't here because I wanna be."

"Then why _are_ you here?"

"To break him out. And a little bunny ain't gonna stop me."

How was she supposed to respond to that? If Gajeel broke Natsu out, that meant he wouldn't be here anymore and she couldn't talk to him anymore. She wanted him to get out too because she didn't believe he was all that evil as everyone made him out to be. She could still feel the heat where he grabbed her arm. He had every chance then to hurt her, but he didn't. She looked down at her hands and started fiddling with her fingers. What was she supposed to say? _Break me out too! Take me with you!_ were the words that popped into her head, but she knew how impractical that was. Gajeel believed she was a spoiled princess. He wouldn't believe her if she said she wanted to go too. He would laugh, so she kept her mouth shut.

Lucy told Gajeel that she was going to retire to bed early. After a silent dinner with her father, she went right to her room. She knew Gajeel was waiting outside, so she had to do something to get him to leave. She wanted to talk to Natsu.

She changed into her pajamas and her bunny slippers. She was most comfortable in those and if Gajeel caught her, he would believe that she had been in bed and she could tell him she was going to get a glass of water or something like that. She looked at her gate keys and wondered if any of them could help her sneak out. She thought about Virgo immediately, but she didn't want any more holes in the floor and Gajeel would surely hear if she went through the floor. She sighed, knowing none of her spirits could help her be sneaky. She wished she had the golden key for Gemini; that would have been more than perfect. Lucy spent a lot of time reading her mother's books on celestial mages. She knew all about the zodiac spirits, and she wanted all twelve for herself so they could be her friends like her other spirits. Well, she considered Aquarius her friend, but Aquarius hated her. She read so much on Leo the lion, but she also knew that his key was nowhere to be found. She searched for Capricorn, knowing that he was one of her mother's spirits. She remembered how much of a gentleman he was, and he was always very kind to Layla. However, he was nowhere to be found, along with his key. Her mother didn't say anything about him when she gave Lucy her Taurus, Aquarius, and Cancer keys. She couldn't ask her father anything about her mother because he got defensive and abusive whenever she did. It was how she got the bruise on her arm that Natsu asked about. He pushed her away and she hit the side of his desk. She just wished her mom were here; she missed her so much it physically hurt.

Lucy stayed in her room until midnight. She had the light turned off so Gajeel would think she was asleep. She even lay under the covers in case one of the maids walked in. She still didn't know how she was going to sneak out, but she figured that Gajeel would have to use the restroom eventually. She could sneak away while he was gone and he would never know she left. She knew how to arrange her pillows to look like she was asleep under the covers.

So once her clock lacrima said midnight, she pushed herself out of bed and arranged her pillows before putting the covers over it. She studied it for a moment to make sure it looked believable. It was very unlikely someone would go into her room before seven in the morning, but she figured it was better to be safe than sorry. Lucy pulled her hair up into a pony tail, it bothering her when it fell over her eyes. She wasn't actually going to sleep any time soon, anyway. She checked under her door, not seeing anyone standing in front of it. She put her hand on the knob and was about to twist it when she heard the sound of Gajeel's voice. She jumped back, her chest rising and falling rapidly and her hands in the air like she just got caught by the army.

"Uh huh...No, I know." His voice was muffled and Lucy knew he wasn't outside her door. She slowly turned to her balcony. The door was slightly ajar and she realized his voice was coming from outside. She walked over to the balcony and silently stepped out. She saw Gajeel in the gardens talking to a small communication lacrima. "Mm. She's sleeping now, it's okay. I ain't sitting outside her door all night!"

The voice that came from it was female and Lucy wondered if he was talking to Levy. The thought of him talking to Levy made her smile. She hoped, for his sake, that she also loved him. She believed everyone deserved to be happy, and maybe that was why she dismissed Natsu's destructive actions to quickly. "I know, Gajeel. But your job is to protect her."

Gajeel groaned and Lucy could imagine him rolling his eyes. "I ain't here to protect a little girl. I'm here to get that idiot salamander out of her father's jail."

"But you should still do your job with her. He's paying you a lot, isn't he?" The girl was silent for a while and Lucy gripped the railing tightly. Was she just a little girl? Just a princess? She backed away until she was back in her room, frowning. Maybe it was true. She was weak, irrelevant, no good for anything other than dressing up and being a princess. She was a weak celestial mage and she clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

Lucy shook her head. This wasn't the time to start feeling sorry for herself. She could cry about it later. She took a deep breath to clear her mind and calm her pounding heart before quickly slipping out of her room and closing the door behind her. She knew Gajeel was outside, but she didn't know how long he would be there for. She had to be quick if she wanted to get to the dungeons without getting caught.

She stuck to the shadows, her slipping erasing any noise her bare feet would have made on the wood floor. The stairs, however, were a completely different story. She had to take one step at a time, them creaking every time she shifted her weight even the slightest. "Shh!" she hissed to the hardwood, though she knew it wouldn't do any good. She was near her father's room. He was asleep, she knew that, but he was a light sleeper. She couldn't keep going down these stairs one at a time or he would surely wake up, so she did something without even thinking. She jumped. Her feet ached when she landed hard on the rug. She hissed as the pain traveled up her legs in tingles, and it took a while for Lucy to regain her balance, but once she did, she continued down to the dungeons.

She didn't truly understand why she wanted to see Natsu so badly. Maybe she missed him; it had been six days, after all. But there was a little voice in the back of her head reminding her that he could kill her with just one blow. She shook her head, dismissing that voice. However, when she finally made it to the door that led to the stairs to the dungeon, she heard Gajeel's voice again, still talking to the same girl he was before. Now Lucy was convinced it was Levy; it had to be. Who else did he call "shrimp"?

"Alright, alright. You know, you talk an awful lot, shrimp." His shadow appeared in the doorway and Lucy quickly hid in the shadows, her back pressed to the door.

"How many times have I told you not to call me that, Gajeel?" She sounded exasperated, but she didn't hang up on him.

"Too bad."

Lucy let out a breath of relief when Gajeel's form retreated back towards her bedroom. As long as the door was closed, surely he would believe she was still asleep. She waited a good minute after he was gone to make sure he wasn't coming back to open the door and close it quietly behind her. She started running down the stairs, hoping Natsu wasn't expecting her to being cookies again. Now that Gray wasn't here, she couldn't use him as an excuse anymore.

She came to a stop when she saw Natsu's arms hanging out of the bars. They were dirty and twitched every now and then. Was he asleep? If he were, she wouldn't wake him. She knew better than to wake a sleeping dragon. But when she moved to get a better look, she saw that he was, in fact, awake. He didn't notice her for a while, his head resting on his right arm. He was staring at his hands and didn't look up at Lucy until she stood in front of them. "Hey, Luce." His finger touched her stomach when he said her name, her heart beating just a little faster and her face getting just a little hotter. Since when did he give her a nickname? If she hated it, she didn't say anything about it. "I haven't seen you in a while."

She couldn't help but wonder - and maybe hope - that he missed her. "Yeah, sorry," she said, scratching her arm nervously. "My father hired a bodyguard for me. It took a long time for me to be able to sneak away from him."

"Gajeel, eh?" He stood up straight but kept his hands out of the cell. He wasn't very tall, Lucy noticed. He was taller than she was, but he wasn't nearly as tall as Gajeel or even Gray. "He's not giving you trouble, right?"

"Eh, no, he's not," Lucy said, shaking her head. She wondered why he was being so nice. Maybe he was over tired. Or was he hungry? She looked down at his feet and saw an empty plate next to him. She was sure he was fed everyday. She needed to know what her father was up to. "He's trying to break you out."

"I know."

The conversation seemed to die there. Lucy didn't know what to say, and Natsu wasn't saying anything. He looked almost down and she worried if he had something on his mind. She wanted to ask him, but she didn't want to set him off. She knew if he got mad, he could throw one fire attack her way and she would die. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. He went back to studying his hands as if she weren't there at all. She had to make sure she got back into her room without being seen. She didn't know when Gajeel usually left his post, though. And if he was able to smell so well, why didn't he know she was standing only a few feet away from him. She wondered if it was because he was distracted when talking to Levy. She smiled softly at the idea of the two of them. She loved romance and seeing other people happy; it made her happy. She didn't even think about her own happiness. She always expected to marry someone her father picked out for her. "You look happy." At the sound of Natsu's voice, Lucy looked up to see him looking at her. He wasn't smiling. In fact, she didn't think she ever saw his smile. She wondered what it looked like.

"I was just thinking about something." She waved it off. "Hey, Natsu?"

He cocked his head to the side. "Mm?"

"Are you...Are you okay?" she asked. "It's just you seem a bit down. I-I-I don't mean to pry, it's just that you're usually angrier and trying to burn down the cell bars."

"I've just given up on trying to break myself out. I'm just waiting for metal head to get his shit together and do what he's really here to do."

Lucy pressed her lips together. It was cold down in the dungeons, causing goosebumps to rise up her arms. She realized how selfish she was for thinking that she wanted him to stay earlier. He was miserable. He was locked up and dirty and given awful food. No one deserved that kind of treatment and Lucy hated herself for not wanting him to break out.

"Are you cold?" Natsu asked. A flame formed over his hand and Lucy jumped back a bit. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. If you're cold, this should warm you up a bit. I'm never cold, so this doesn't bother me." Fire wizards' bodies were always hot, just like ice wizards' bodies were always cold. When Lucy stepped closer, he leaned his head on his arm again.

"Thank you," Lucy whispered softly. How was this the same man who was destroying towns? How was this the same man who was part dragon? He still looked like a dragon. He still had horns and scales in some places, but his expression made him look like a child. He was...cute.

Lucy's eyes widened when she realized what she was thinking, her face boiling. She still had goosebumps, but she wasn't cold anymore.

"Lucy," Natsu said, snapping Lucy out of her daze. He looked up at her. "I like when you come down here. The only person who does is the weird lady who gives me food. And she doesn't talk to me." _What is he saying?_ "I didn't like when you didn't come for all that time. I know the metal head is an idiot, so you should be able to get by him more." He wasn't making much sense and Lucy stood there with wide eyes and her mouth agape. "I like when you talk to me. You don't look at me like I'm..." He paused. "Like I'm a monster."

"Natsu..."

"Oh, and I like the cookies too. Bring more of those tomorrow."

They fell into silence again, Lucy staring at Natsu as her heart thumped in her throat. His words were almost awkward just like...Just like a normal teenage boy. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. She was happy that he liked talking to her, but what did that mean? What would happen when Gajeel succeeded in breaking him out? Would she just never see him again? She didn't like the idea of that one bit.

Most of the time was spent in silence, but Lucy was happy. They were both sitting on the floor now, their backs pressed against each others. She could feel the coldness of the bars, but she could also feel the heat radiating off of his back. His hugs must have been warm. They sat like that for what felt like hours, talking every now and then about trivial things like their favorite foods. Lucy learned that Natsu's was cake and Natsu learned that Lucy's was potatoes. She learned that he had a flying blue cat called Happy and Lucy told him about her celestial spirits. He even asked about the other zodiacs, genuinely seeming curious about them. It felt nice to talk about her magic with someone. Her father ignored the fact that she was a wizard until the situation was dire and the maids only pretended to listen to her because they didn't want to seem rude to the Heartfilia heiress.

"Natsu," she started, "Gajeel told me that you're in Fairy Tail with him. What does he mean?" Lucy needed to know the answer to this and she could tell Natsu didn't want to talk by the loud sigh he let escape his lips. She wondered what his face looked like. Was he annoyed with her? His back did tense, however. Lucy wondered why Gray and Erza - who were also a part of Fairy Tail - didn't even mention that Natsu was part of their guild. They didn't hesitate to arrest him. There must have been something deeper behind all of this, and Lucy was itching to find out what that was.

"It means I'm a member of Fairy Tail," he said. His voice was a lot less lively than it was when he was asking about how a spirit that looked like a snowman was actually a dog.

"But," she started, "Why aren't you there now? I mean, Erza didn't think twice when she arrested you. Did something happen?"

Natsu leaned his head back against the bars, some of his hair falling over Lucy's head. A warm feeling spread throughout her entire body, a small shiver running up her spine. She kept her composure, though. She didn't want him getting the wrong idea because she didn't know what the feeling meant. "Look, I don't want to talk about it, okay? I can tell you that the scales from my dragon curse have taken over my mark, so I'm not a member anymore, technically."

Lucy frowned. Even though she was never part of a guild herself, she knew that guilds were families to its wizards. She wondered if he was sad. She reached her hand back, about to grab his hand, when a shadow formed over her. She pulled her hand away like Natsu was on fire, glad he didn't notice what she was trying to do. She looked up, her eyes widening when she saw Gajeel standing over her, a smirk spread across his face.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the bunny girl. What are you doing with the pyro? You're supposed to be in your room."

Lucy was about to apologize when Natsu spoke instead, "What does it matter?"

Gajeel chuckled. "Is she your little girlfriend now?"

"No!" they both shouted at the same time. It was like they rehearsed it.

"Seriously, you're gonna get in a shit load of trouble if you don't get back to your room, bunny girl. You're not supposed to know he's here."

Lucy frowned. She stood up, brushing the dust and dirt off of her pajamas. She looked up at Gajeel, her hands on her hips. She was a lot smaller than he was and she knew she wasn't intimidating in the slightest, but she had to try. "Well, I do," she said. Judging by the amused look on Gajeel's face, she knew that he wasn't taking her seriously. "I found him on my own. _Before_ you came here. And I like to talk to him. I haven't seen him since you got here and I just...I wanted..." What _did_ she want? She told herself it was the company and conversation, but she wasn't entirely convinced that that was the truth.

"Listen, metal head." Lucy looked back at Natsu who was now standing up, his hands gripping the bars again. "She's not gonna tell her dad about this." When Gajeel tried to speak, Natsu beat him to it, "No, trust me. She won't. She is a kind person. And I want to be able to see her. So you're gonna let her come see me every night. During that time, you can hurry your slow ass up and figure out how to get me out of here because you're taking way too damn long."

Gajeel gritted his teeth, grunting. Natsu seemed to be satisfied with that answer because he backed away from the bars. His back his the wall on the other side of his cell, sliding down to a sitting position. "You two can go now," he said, closing his eyes. "Oh, and Luce, don't forget cookies."

Lucy nodded once. "I won't."

She walked back up to her room with Gajeel, opening the door. She was about to close it when she heard Gajeel speak, "Lucy."

"Eh?"

Gajeel shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He almost seemed nervous and Lucy wondered what was wrong.

"Look, if I did something wrong by talking to Natsu, I-"

"It's about Levy," he blurted. Lucy's eyes widened when she saw that his cheeks were a light shade of pink. Was Gajeel asking Lucy for love advice? She probably wasn't the best person to ask considering she never had a boyfriend nor had she ever kissed a man before, but she wasn't about to ruin this rare opportunity. She was determined to do her best to help him. "Look, I...I mean, I don't...Shit." He clenched his fists at his sides and Lucy knew this wasn't easy for him. "How do I...How do I tell her that..."

"That you love her?" Lucy suggested, filling in the blank. Judging from how red his face got, Lucy knew that was what he wanted but he was much too proud to admit it. She smiled. "I think you should tell her upfront. But not over a lacrima. Tell her in person the next time you see her. Take her someplace nice. Something that she likes. You'll never know unless you try."

After that, Gajeel grumbled something inaudible and walked towards his room, which was one of the guest bedrooms in the mansion. Lucy shut her door behind her and crawled into her bed, hugging her doll, Michelle, to her chest. She didn't know what was making her so happy, maybe she was happy that Gajeel and Levy would get together because they were like a couple in one of her books, or maybe it was because Natsu wanted to talk to her, too. Either way, she fell asleep with a smile for the first time since her mother passed away.

* * *

 **So sorry this chapter took longer to get out! I made it as long as I could and it is the longest chapter I have ever written for anything, well, ever. Should I make all the chapters long like this one? Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! What do you think of the Gajeel/Juvia friendship? Personally, I like it a lot, I think they make great friends! Do you want to see more Gajevy and other Fairy Tail couples other than NaLu? Let me know and I'll consider doing little snippets of other couples like the one I did here for Gajevy! I liked writing about Gajevy for a little and I hope you enjoyed reading about them! Anyway, thank you for all your feedback, it all means so much to me! I'll see you in the next chapter, and I hope you all have a wonderful day/morning/night/afternoon etc. ^.^**


	6. The Dragon's Smile

**I am incredibly sorry for the fact that this chapter came out later than expected. I was very busy and didn't have much time to sit down and write.**

 **Also, I'm sorry for any typos! I'll try to go over the chapter and catch them, but my laptop autocorrects many of Fairy Tail's names, unfortunately, and I don't catch them all.**

 **Thank you all again for all the feedback on my story so far! I really appreciate every single one of them and they make me really happy to see people are enjoying my story! So I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer:** **I still don't own Fairy Tail :(**

* * *

 _Layla Heartfilia knew what was coming for her; she could feel it deep within her bones. She was beginning to feel weak, barely able to hold her own. She kept this secret from Jude. He loved her so much that she knew how he would react to the news of her illness getting worse. She rested her hand on her small baby bump, a small smile tugging at her lips as a cool breeze blew her blonde hair in front of her eyes. She was only eighteen years old, but she was expecting a child with her husband Jude. It happened not long after the two of them left the Love & Lucky guild together. It got harder and harder for Layla to use her magic, and she deeply missed her friends Capricorn, Aquarius, and Cancer. But now she had to save her strength, for her child._

 _"Layla, you should come inside. You'll catch a cold."_

 _"I'm all right."_

 _Layla was sitting down on a bench, Jude standing behind her with his hand on her shoulder. Even though Jude was focused on his business, he still made some time for Layla, and she appreciated that more than he could ever know. However, a small part of her was worried about the world their child would be growing up in. At this rate, he or she would be known all over Fiore just because of the Heartfilia name. It would be like growing up royal even though they were far from ruling the kingdom. The Heartfilia's ruled the business world. "Are you sure?" Jude asked, squeezing her shoulder._

 _Layla looked up at her husband, smiling. "Yes, I am. I'll only be a few more minutes, I promise." She knew he worried about their child;_ she _worried about their child, too. But there was nothing she could do about it at this point. She folded her hands over her lap, feeling rather content. Even though Jude completely dismissed his own magic, refusing to talk about it since he acquired all the money that he did, Layla still carried her gate keys everywhere she went. Her most prized one rested in the form of a locket she always wore, hidden by magic. Capricorn. "I want to stay out here a little longer."_

 _Jude nodded._

 _"Jude," Layla called, making her husband stop and look back at her with a smile. "I was wondering...Can we visit Love & Lucky? Just to see it..." She hadn't seen it in over two years, and part of her missed it. She wondered if her friends were still there and if they remembered her. Every time she didn't see a guild mark on her ribcage, she felt incomplete. She was one of their S Class wizards, after all. Jude wasn't, but she tended to take jobs with him more than any S Class ones._

 _Jude thought it over, scratching his temple. Layla knew he would be against the idea, but she hoped they would just be able to see it. "Okay," the twenty year old said. "We can go see it tomorrow."_

 _Layla's smile widened. "Thank you, Jude!" She was happy and watched as he left with a smile on her face. She was hopeful; maybe she would get to see her friend Ur. Ur wasn't a part of that guild, but the last Layla knew, she lived close by. She heard around that Ur had a daughter now, and Layla was sure she was as beautiful as her mother. They met when Layla was on a job and she grew close to the ice mage. Both women excelled in their fields. Layla truly believed that Ur was the most powerful ice mage there was and while she modestly declined, Layla knew hearing it made Ur happy. Before she got ill, Layla was able to open four celestial gates at once. Now, however, she was only able to keep three open without getting extremely weak. She rested her hand on her stomach. She refrained from opening any gates at all now that she was pregnant. She didn't want her child's life to be in danger in case she overdid it. Though she did admit, it was lonesome without her friends. She sat back down on the bench, clutching her locket as the wind picked up again. She missed her talks with Capricorn. Aquarius and Cancer, too. All of her friends._

 _Then there was Leo. Layla's heart clenched at the thought of the lion spirit, his smiling face flashing in her mind. She knew him as a teenager. He looked the same age, but she knew that celestial spirits didn't age. She acquired his key during a job and even though he wasn't fond of making any contract without Aries, he agreed to Layla's. She had asked him where she could find Aries, that way she could bring the two of them back together, but he didn't know to whom she was contracted. Layla knew how much he missed - and loved - Aries. And that was the same reason why she set Leo free. She gave him back his key and told him to "go find her". He tried to argue, saying it was okay and that Layla was an amazing mage to work for, but she insisted. She knew he would have been happier that way, and she hoped that he was able to find Aries._

 _Layla knows the day will come when she has to let go of Capricorn, Aquarius, and Cancer, too. The idea made her feel physically sick. Since she was a little girl, she dreamed of becoming a powerful celestial mage, but it seemed her journey was coming to a close. Part of her hoped her child would pick it up where she left off._

 _"I just hope you all know how much I love you," she whispered to herself, holding more tightly to her locket._

 _The locket started to glow and Layla gasped, looking up at the celestial spirit with wide eyes. The goat spirit had his hands behind his back and he bowed to Layla. "It is all right, milady. We all know of your love. And we feel the same."_

 _Layla gasped when she saw Aquarius and Cancer, too. They were standing behind Capricorn, but their images faded when Layla's eyes filled with tears. "We will always be loyal to you," Aquarius said. "You treated us with kindness and respect. Our services will always be available to you. Even if our contracts sever, our loyalties will always lie with you." Aquarius was smiling, a rare sight. Aquarius tended to have a sour attitude, but she respected Layla Heartfilia since she acquired her because of how strong she was. Cancer nodded along to her words, snipping the scissors in his hands._

 _Layla looked down at her lap, tears falling on her maroon colored dress and staining it._

 _"We will help you in any way we can," Capricorn said, finally standing up straight from his bow. Sunglasses covered his eyes. "We know what's going on, Layla-sama. We can feel your weakness growing with each passing day. But we will still come into this world to serve you as often as we can."_

 _"We can help with the little Layla," Cancer said, snipping his scissors again and Layla laughed softly, wiping the tears streaming down her cheeks._

 _Though she knew it was inappropriate, Layla stood up from the bench she was sitting on, running over to her spirits and tackling them all in a group hug. They happily hugged her back as she sobbed into Capricorn's suit jacket. Aquarius stroked her hair, and Layla knew that giving these three up was going to be the hardest thing she'll ever have to do._

 _And when the time came, Layla opened the three zodiac gates for the last time. "I ask that you three look after Lucy." Layla was looking at the ground because she knew if she looked up at them, she would cry again. "Protect her, please." She bowed her head. Aquarius scoffed, the water bearer never having gotten used to Lucy being around. Lucy wanted to be a celestial mage, a fact that made Layla proud, and she took an instant liking to Aquarius because Aquarius was a mermaid. The child was practically attached to the spirit at the hip, much to Aquarius's utter dismay. "When I die, your keys will be passed on to Lucy." Capricorn was silent; Layla knew that he would be the hardest to convince to let Layla go. He had been with her for so long that he was used to being around her. He didn't want to be contracted to another mage, even if that mage was Layla's one and only daughter._

 _When Layla looked up at them, she smiled. She was, however, still crying. "I know Lucy will take good care of you all. You're in good hands. Just promise you'll never forget me even after I am no longer of this earth."_

* * *

Gray sat at Fairy Tail's bar, Erza sitting next to him. She wasn't drinking anything, but she was playing around with the food Mirajane brought out for her. Even Gray wasn't in the mood to eat, and that was saying something. He wished he could do back and talk to Lucy, and he knew Erza felt the same way. But it wasn't that simple anymore. When Jude Heartfilia dismissed the two of them, he said that if either of them spoke to Lucy again, he would hire a guild to attack Fairy Tail. Neither of them wanting to take that risk, Gray and Erza fell into a moping state.

It stung every time Gray had to decline a call on lacrima from Lucy, but he had to think about the well being of his guild, too. He didn't want anyone to get hurt.

"Gray-sama! Juvia made this for Gray-sama!"

Gray groaned internally, turning away from Juvia. "Not now, Juvia. I'm not in the mood."

Juvia lowered her arms that had a boxed lunch in them, looking deflated. Gray knew he was being rude to her, but he really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right now. He would have done the same if it were anyone else. "Juvia wonders what's wrong with Gray-sama and Erza-san."

Gray was glad when Erza spoke, because that meant he didn't have to, "We're just missing one of our friends, is all. There's no need to worry about us, Juvia. We're going to be just fine." Erza's voice had a calming effect to it and Gray felt just the slightest bit less angry after she said those words. If Erza had faith, he couldn't just give up so easily. "You should give that lunch to Gajeel. I know he'd like it," she said, offering her a smile Gray recognized as fake. He knew Erza long enough to know which of her smiles was real and which one was fake.

Juvia frowned. "Gajeel took a job at Heartfilia mansion. Gajeel said it pays well, and he told Juvia he is going there to help Natsu-kun."

Both Gray's and Erza's eyes widened at the same time. "He went to help Natsu? What are you talking about?" Erza's voice was now a lot less soothing than it was before; she was angry.

"Gajeel told Juvia that Natsu-kun was captured by the Heartfilia family. Juvia knows that Gajeel is going there undercover to help Natsu-kun." Juvia also knew that he was Lucy Heartfilia's new bodyguard because she overheard Levy talking to him via communication lacrima. "Juvia knows Gajeel can do it. Gajeel-kun is very strong."

Gray lifted his nose in disgust. He didn't understand why the old man let Gajeel of all people join the guild. Then again, Juvia was once a part of that guild, too, and she didn't try to destroy it from the inside out. In fact, the only thing she seemed interested in doing was making Gray fall in love with her. Gray, on the other hand, didn't see her that way. She was kind, yes, and also beautiful, but it bothered him a lot when she clung onto him. Since she joined Fairy Tail, she hardly used her magic at all. Gray didn't like strong people who acted weak.

"Gajeel is at Heartfilia Mansion, huh? And Natsu...Gray," she said, looking to Gray who turned to look back at her. "Did you know that they imprisoned Natsu there?"

Gray shook his head. "Last I saw - before the whole fight in that town - of Natsu was when he stormed out of here. Don't you remember? He was blabbering about how he needed to find Igneel or he would die. Then he started to go crazy looking for him, destroying towns and forests. He's a real idiot with nothing between his ears but a lump of coal."

Erza frowned, looking down at her legs that were crossed properly. Erza always carried herself with grace. "When I arrested Natsu, I figured he would be taken to the council. Then, after he cooled down, we could get him and bring him back to Fairy Tail. I didn't think that Jude Heartfilia would be the one to be holding him." She tapped her index finger on her lips. "What could he possibly want with Natsu?"

Gray and Juvia fell silent because neither of them knew the answer. Gray knew Jude Heartfilia because he worked for him for so long taking care of Lucy. But all he knew was that he was a wealthy businessman whose name was practically royalty in Fiore. Natsu was just an idiot who didn't know how to control his temper. There must have been _something_ Jude was after. But what? "Seriously," Gray said, breaking the silence. He could see Juvia from the corner of his eye looking up at him like he was some sort of god. "Natsu is strong. We all know this. But he really is an idiot. He went too far with his Dragon Force magic and can't shake the physical properties of a dragon."

"Gray, you know there's more to his condition than Dragon Force," Erza stated. "However, it is clear that Dragon Force started the transformation. I worry that if Gajeel doesn't hurry, his heart will be affected by whatever it is that's cursed him. And if his heart is affected, the Natsu we know will forever be gone."

Gray wasn't Natsu's biggest fan. In fact, every time the two saw each other, they ended up in some sort of brawl that destroyed the guild. However, Natsu was still a member of Fairy Tail, one of his nakama, and he couldn't sit back and drink at the bar while one of his comrades was being held hostage. Gray's grip around his glass tightened until it broke. Juvia came over to ask how he was, but he brushed her off. "It's settled, then," Gray said, standing up. "We're going back to the Heartfilia mansion and we're going to get that idiot back so I can teach him a lesson!"

"Juvia wishes to come, too!"

* * *

After spending the day studying business that she didn't at all care about, Lucy was relieved to be back in her room. She did see Natsu and brought him the cookies he wanted. But Gajeel only let her stay for ten minutes, and now she was back in her room. It was dark out, well after one in the morning by now. She knew Gajeel was no longer guarding her door. She felt like she was stuck. She didn't learn anything new about Natsu and she still didn't know why he was locked up in her father's mansion. She fell back on her bed, staring up at the cream ceiling. She wished her mother were here; she wanted to ask her so many things. She closed her heavy and just as she was drifting off into dream land, she heard the sound of knocking.

Groaning, she stood up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What is it, Gajeel?" she asked, opening her bedroom door only to see no one there. Then the knocking sounded again and she realized it wasn't coming from her bedroom door; it was coming from the balcony! Making sure to close the door quietly so to not wake anyone, she wondered who it was at the window. It could have very well been a burglar. Stepping slowly towards the window, the rapping got louder and more frequent.

"Dammit, Lucy, are you sleeping or something?"

Lucy gasped, her eyes going wide at the familiar voice. Gray. She quickly pushed the curtains aside to see Gray with his knuckles raised to the glass. He looked surprised at first, but then his shock turned into a smile. "Gray?" she hissed, unlocking the door and sliding it open. Gray walked into the room accompanied by a cool breeze. "What are you doing here? _And where are your clothes?!_ "

Noticing that he was, in fact, only in his boxers, Gray gasped. "Dammit that keeps on happening," he grumbled to himself. He shook his head, dismissing it completely. At this point, it was nothing Lucy hadn't seen before. The ice mage could never keep his clothes on. She was just glad he did keep the boxers. "Whatever, forget that. We have to go now."

"Eh?"

Gray grinned. "Pack a bag and your keys. We're breaking you out of here."

Everything seemed to spin around her. Gray started opening her drawers, throwing a bunch of different clothes messily on it. He grabbed her keys and tossed them to her. She caught them easily, but it was like her feet were glued to the floor. "Gray..." she started in a small voice. "Gray, what are you talking about?"

Gray looked over his shoulder at her. "Erza and another one of our members are with Gajeel. They're getting Natsu. I came to get you."

Lucy felt a warmth in her chest and tears started to well up in her eyes. He gasped when he saw that she was crying, demanding to know why she was crying. But Lucy didn't know the answer to that, either. Why _was_ she crying? She wasn't sad. In fact, she was almost overjoyed. Gray and Erza came to rescue her. They _cared_ about her. "But...why?" she asked as Gray was shoving her clothes into a duffle bag he must have gotten from under her bed. She saw the slight pink of his cheeks when he found her underwear drawer, but she didn't care about that. All she could think about was how she was free.

"Because," he said, zipping up the bag and throwing it over his shoulder. Lucy didn't even care what was in it anymore. She would have been fine with just her keys and the dress on her back. "You told me how you've always wanted to leave here and join a guild. Do you really think your crazy father will let you? He seems to be keeping a lot from you, Lu. Come join Fairy Tail and we'll be your family. We'll love you more than he ever did."

"I can...Join Fairy Tail?"

Gray smiled and Lucy's heart swelled in her chest. "Of course you can! I know the old man won't mind having another wizard in the guild. We don't have any celestial wizards, so you'd be the only one, but everyone is really nice and-" Gray was cut off when Lucy wrapped her arms tightly around him, saying "thank you" a thousand times over. Gray couldn't help but smile. Seeing her so happy made him happy. She was his friend, after all. "Come on, Lu, we've got to go before they wake up. Erza and Gajeel aren't the quiet types."

Lucy swallowed a lump in her throat, nodding quickly. Gray went out first, jumping up so he was standing on the balcony. "Wait!" Lucy exclaimed. "I forgot something." When Gray nodded, she took that as her opportunity to rummage through her jewelry box for it. She smiled when she came across the locket. Her mother gave it to her on the day she died and told her to take care of it because it was special. She didn't know what was so special about it, but she wasn't about to let her mother down. She quickly clasped it around her neck and ran back over to Gray. "Ready!"

Gray nodded. "Ice Make: Ramp!" A layer of ice formed on the edge of the balcony and to the floor. It sent a cold breeze through Lucy's hair, making her shiver. Gray turned back to Lucy and held his hand out to her. "Hold on to me. We're going down."

* * *

"What the hell's Juvia doing here?!" Gajeel demanded when he ran into both her and Erza. He was overprotective of Juvia, and he didn't want to see her get hurt. That was also why he tagged along on all the tough jobs she took.

"No time to explain," Erza said. "We're going to break Natsu out now. We have to bring him back to the guild before his Dragon Force takes over his heart."

Gajeel scowled. "You're awful eager for someone who arrested him in the first place."

"Gajeel." Gajeel gasped when he felt Juvia's small hands wrap around his forearm. She gave him a knowing look, shaking her head. "Juvia can help, too! Her water magic is strong. Juvia was once part of the Element 4," Juvia said. "Juvia will protect Gajeel like Gajeel protects Juvia."

Gajeel growled, but he backed off. Juvia smiled triumphantly, letting go of his arm. Then the three of them went down to the dungeons, led there by Gajeel. "Everyone should be sleeping now," Gajeel said as he swung the door open and started down the stairs, Erza easily keeping up. Juvia trailed behind a bit, but Gajeel could still see her when he looked over his shoulder. "But that cell flame brain's in is pretty indestructible. It won't be easy to bust it. And it won't be quiet, either. We've all gotta be ready to get the fuck outta here."

Erza and Juvia both nodded.

The three fell into silence the rest of the way to the cell. When they got there, Gajeel saw Natsu's hands wrap around the bars. His dragon hearing must have told him they were there before he could see them. "Lucy?" he called.

Gajeel chuckled. "Nope," he said, standing in front of the cell. Natsu's face fell. "Just us."

"Us?" But his question was answered when he saw Erza and Juvia too. "Erza?! But she tried to arrest me! What's she doing here?" he demanded, gritting his teeth out of sheer annoyance.

Erza folded her arms over her chest. "Just be quiet, Natsu. That was all a stage. We thought you would be taken to the council, but..." She trailed off with a shrug. Ants still kept his grip on the bars, the veins in his arms popping. Erza chuckled softly. "It seems this job calls for the big guns. Requip!" Ezra's Heart Kreuz armor changed to her Japanese Cloth armor, the armor she used in order to have more power in her weapon. Her sword weighed more than she did, and it was her most powerful one. "I'd stand back if I were you, Natsu." Natsu growled but did as he was told, his back hitting the wall. He was no idiot; he knew how powerful Erza was. She aimed her sword at the bars.

"I'll help," Gajeel said, his arm turning into a chainsaw, one of his many Iron Dragon Slayer magics.

"So will Juvia."

Erza nodded. "Ready?" When they both nodded, she shouted, "Attack!" Erza and Gajeel immediately started to hit the bars. Juvia stood back, waiting for the right time. "Dammit," Erza breathed.

"I know," Gajeel said, standing back when Erza did. "This shit's strong."

"Are you going to hurry?" Natsu asked, impatient.

"Wait! Juvia as an idea." When Juvia spoke up, everyone turned their attention to her, urging her to go on. "Natsu-kun will use his fire magic on the bars. Then Juvia will use her water magic to soften it a little. Then Gajeel and Erza will attack once Juvia is finished."

Erza wasn't entirely convinced that that would work, and neither was Gajeel, but she said, "It's worth a shot."

Now all eyes turned to Natsu and he nodded. "Fire Dragon Roar!" Flames erupted from his mouth, hitting all of the bars, some flames sticking to some parts where the paint was peeling off.

"Water Slicer!" Spears of water came from Juvia's hands, hitting the bars hard. She nodded while the water was still shooting and Erza and Gajeel started attacking the bars. They got soaked in the process, but when the bars broke, it was all worth it. Juvia smiled when Gajeel was clearly ready to say something, but they were interrupted by Natsu who ran out of the cell with his fists pumping into the air.

"Woo! I'm free!"

"That made a shit ton of noise," Gajeel said and Erza nodded in agreement.

"Gajeel is right. We need to get out of here and fast. Gray should already be back in the vehicle. We need to hurry." Erza requiped back into her Heart Kreuz armor, grabbing Natsu by the scarf and running off with him.

Gajeel and Juvia shared a nod and took off running after them. Gajeel looked back every now and then to make sure she was still there.

"Hey! We can't go yet! I want to do something!" Natsu said, struggling against Erza's hold but unable to break free.

"What could you _possibly_ want to do?" Gajeel asked.

"Say goodbye to Lucy!"

"No need," Erza said, looking back at Natsu with a smile. "Gray went to get her. She should be with him."

The four of them made it outside without any problems, but they were soon stopped by a group of wizards. Erza recognized them as being from a small guild not far from Magnolia. "Heh! Jude-dono figured this would happen, so he hired a more skilled guild to protect the boundaries of the house during the night. You ain't going nowhere!" one of the men said, laughing along with the other members.

Erza gritted her teeth, about to requip when she heard Juvia. "Water Lock!" All the members were encased in a ball of water, Juvia holding her hands out to keep the spell as they all struggled to get out. "Juvia's Water Lock is a spell that cannot be broken. Struggling is mute. Erza and Gajeel need to go back to the car with Natsu. Juvia will follow and keep her Water Lock until Erza attaches herself to the vehicle."

Erza nodded, running towards the vehicle and shoving Natsu in the back before getting up front and tying her wrist to the vehicle. She would be driving and it would run off of her magic energy. She had plenty left. Gajeel was a bit more hesitant, making sure that Juvia got in the car. Once she did, she lifted the Water Lock and the vehicle took off at extreme speeds.

"Ah, shit," Gajeel groaned, holding his mouth. Natsu was laying out on the back seat looking green. It was a curse of the Dragon Slayers to be prone to extreme motion sickness. Juvia patted Gajeel's arm.

"Hey, man! Not on my boots!" Gray shouted, holding his feet in the air. He, Lucy, Juvia, and Gajeel were all squeezed on one side while Natsu took up the entirety of the seat across from them. Gray looked over to his right and saw Lucy looking out the window. "Hey," he said quietly, bumping her shoulder. "You good?"

Lucy looked over at him and nodded, flashing him a smile. "I'll be okay." If she said she wasn't nervous, she would have been lying. What was going to happen when her father found out she went with them? Would he do something drastic to get her back? Would he even care at all? Lucy looked back out the window, fiddling with the locket around her neck and wondering what was so important about it. To her, it seemed like a normal locket. Maybe if she trained more and became a better celestial wizard, she would find out. She wanted to be like her mother, and she smiled at the thought that that was starting to happen.

She just prayed that her father would leave Fairy Tail alone. She didn't want other people to get hurt just because of her. She knew she wasn't worth that.

"Something's wrong," she heard Gray say and when Lucy turned to look at him, he was frowning at her. She could also see the girl next to Gray glaring daggers into Lucy's head. It sent a chill down her spine. "Seriously, what's up?"

Lucy let out a breath through her nose. "I just...I don't want to cause trouble for any of you. My father may try to take me back and-"

"You're one of us now, Lucy!" Erza shouted from the driver's seat. "You don't have to worry about him. You're safe with us at Fairy Tail!"

The warmth in her heart was overwhelming. She couldn't cry again; she didn't want them to think she was weak. But she felt so happy that she couldn't stop the tears from falling. Her smile was so wide, her cheeks hurt. She gasped when she felt a hand on her knee. Looking in front of her, she saw Natsu with a wide smile on his face despite the fact that he looked like he was feeling like utter hell. She had never seen his smile before. It was boyish and made him look young, but it sent her heart fluttering. He had some pretty sharp teeth, but his expression looked like he couldn't hurt a fly. He still had scales and he still had horns, but Lucy wasn't scared anymore.

There was still the fact that her father would probably try to find her. She pushed that to the back of her mind, not wanting to ruin her happy mood. She finally had a family. A family full of misfits, she realized as she looked around the vehicle at everyone, but still a family. They risked so much for her; they didn't have to take her with them, but they still did because Gray and Erza knew how much she wanted to practice magic. They really did care about her, and she cared so much about them.

* * *

"Thanks for letting me stay here until I find my own place, Erza," Lucy said, placing her duffle bag on the couch, She found herself staring at her new pink guild mark. It was on her right hand and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Mirajane Strauss was the one who put it on after she totally fangirled in front of her and Lisanna. Lucy was utterly starstruck; she worried that tomorrow she would wake up in the mansion and realize this was all just a dream. It _did_ feel surreal. Just a couple hours ago she was studying business and now she was a runaway and a guild member. It was all happening so fast.

"It's not a problem," Erza said with a smile. "Until you can buy your own place, you can stay here."

Lucy knew that it would be hard to start a life. She didn't have a single jewel on her. But even though she went from completely rich to completely broke, she felt more happy and free than she ever felt in any of those dresses and corsets. "You're much too kind to me, Erza-chan." Lucy smiled. She knew how much Erza hated that honorific added to her name, but Lucy liked to add it every now and then. She thought it was cute.

Erza patted Lucy's shoulder. "I'm going to call it a night if you don't mind. The bathroom is down the hall, second door on your left. And help yourself to anything in kitchen if you're hungry, but I can't guarantee that I have much. I spend more time on jobs than I do here."

Lucy nodded and Erza retired to her room. Lucy looked back down at her guild mark, smiling widely. For once, she belonged somewhere. She went back to the bathroom and changed into the closest thing to pajamas Gray packed for her. It was a pair of silk shorts and a tank top that was way too big. She walked over to the mirror and brushed through her hair with her fingers. Gray forgot a hair brush. And a tooth brush. Sighing, Lucy knew she needed to find some sort of job soon. She had to go shopping.

She clutched the ends of her hair, her eyes lowering. Was she really doing the right thing? There was a part of her that felt guilty. And she hated the part of her that missed her father. He was the worst sort of father there was. He was abusive in more ways than one and he never once told Lucy that he loved her. So why was she feeling lonely? This was a world she only read about in magazines and saw in her dreams. She didn't know how to act here or what the people were like. Because of her last time, she worried they would all hate her.

Leaving the bathroom, Lucy kept her eyes on her feet. Maybe all she needed was a good night's sleep. It was well after three in the morning by now, so she figured she would feel more cheerful when she woke up in the morning. Lucy moved the couch cushions, setting them to the side before pulling the bed out. Erza left a blanket and a pillow for Lucy and she put them on the bed, turning out the lights and laying down. She kept her locket on. Now that she wasn't in the safe haven of the mansion, she was afraid that she would lose it or that someone would steal it. It was the last thing she had of her mother's. She reached for her keys and hugged them to her chest. No matter what happened, she knew she would always have her spirit friends with her.

It wasn't long after Lucy fell asleep that she was shaken awake. She opened her eyes, gasping at the silhouette of Natsu hovering over her. She trashed, Natsu moving away when she accidentally hit him on the shoulder. She sat up, clutching the blanket to her chest even though she knew there was no part of her chest shown in the T-Shirt she was wearing. "What the hell are you-"

"Shh!" he hissed, shoving his hand over Lucy's mouth. He looked towards Erza's bedroom for a quick moment. "I came in through the window," he said. It was clear it was nearing morning because a light shade of orange covered the sky. Natsu's hair was so unruly that his horns blended in completely with it. "You have to be quiet. Wake Erza and we both die."

Lucy stared at him with wide eyes. His face was so close to hers that she could feel his breath on her nose. Her heart was off on a frenzy, but she wasn't sure if it was from being startled or from his closeness.

"I want to show you something. Come with me." Natsu took his hand off of Lucy's mouth and wrapped it around her arm, pulling her up out of the bed. His grip was so strong that she didn't have much of a choice. She let him lead her through the open window that he presumably came in through and dragged her down the empty street. She felt very naked in just her pajamas. She kept her eyes on Natsu's back. His white scaled scarf was blowing in the wind and the ends of it occasionally brushed her forehead. He wore a black vest and black pants with sandals. Though he wasn't all that covered himself, at least he had shoes. Lucy didn't get a chance to slip hers on before he pulled her out of the window.

They were both silent for a moment before the curiosity got the better of her. "Er, Natsu? Where are we going?"

"You'll see." He didn't look back at her when he spoke and she wondered what he was up to.

Natsu led her through a park, and he didn't stop until they were standing in front of a large tree. The breeze was warm and the scent of freshly cut grass filled Lucy's nostrils. She blinked, looking from the tree to Natsu and back again. "Natsu..?"

Natsu held out his hand to quiet her. "Wait for it." Confused, Lucy was about to ask him another question when a flying blue cat tackled Natsu. "Hiya, Happy!" Natsu exclaimed. The cat seemed happy to see him, tears rolling down his blue face. Lucy smiled; Natsu told her about Happy and about how the two of them were best friends. "You know what to do," he said after the two broke from their hug.

"Aye, sir!"

Lucy gasped when she felt Happy wrap his tail around her waist, lifting her into the air. "What's going on?" she asked as Happy flew higher and higher. Once he reached the top of the tree, he set her down on one of the branches, some of the leaves scratching the skin on her legs.

"You're Lucy!" Happy said. "Natsu told me so much about you."

Lucy was about to ask when he told him when Natsu appeared beside her, leaves caught in his pink hair. Lucy resisted the urge to pull them out. "Natsu, why did you bring me here?" she asked, eyes on him, but he was looking out into the distance.

He looked over at her and smiled widely, the same smile he had in the car the night before. It sent Lucy's stomach flipping. "I doubt you've ever seen Magnolia before. So from here you can see everything!"

And he was right. Lucy could see the guild hall, the chapel, and the tons of shops the town had. She could see the river that ran through and the train station. She was literally on top of the world. She threw her arms up, giggling. "Wow!" she said happily. "I've never seen the world like this before." She looked back over at Natsu. He was looking out at the town, waving to a few people who were walking on the bridge. Happy was resting contently on the top of his head, small paws wrapped around his horns.

Yeah, the view of the town was great, but the view of the smiling man next to her was even better.


	7. The Princess's Constellation

**Thank you everyone who has been reading my story so far!**

 **I am so very sorry for the delay on the posting of this chapter! I've had this written out in my head, but my motivation to sit down and write has been nonexistent lately, I'm so sorry! Damn personal life, it's taking away from my fanfic writing. I tried to make this chapter extra long to make up for it. I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of these beautiful characters, sadly.**

* * *

Juvia walked down the cobblestone road, her heels _clicking_ and _clacking_ with each step. The birds were chirping and the sky was clear. She carried her pink umbrella to shield her pale skin from the harsh rays of the summer sun. She looked up at the blue sky, a smile spreading across her face. Up until her battle with Gray, she had never once seen a clear sky. Maybe that was why she fell head over heels in love with him; he gave her a gift so precious to her, she didn't know how to thank him. She didn't know if he even knew how grateful for him she really was. She smiled to herself, gripping the handle of her umbrella tightly, her cheeks blazing at the image of Gray's smile flashing through her mind.

"Juvia."

Juvia stopped and turned around, smiling wider when she saw it was Gajeel. "Morning, Gajeel-kun." Even though they weren't in Phantom Lord anymore, Juvia and Gajeel still took the time out of their weeks to hang out with each other. Juvia was in the process of finding out about his feeling's for a tiny script mage, but every time she asked him, he'd drop it and ask about Gray, knowing she would happily talk about him for hours on end.

"Yeah," he said, nodding once. "Are you going to the guild hall?"

Juvia shrugged. "Juvia was just there finding a job. Now Juvia is going back home to pack for it. Is something wrong? Gajeel-kun looks pale."

And he did. Normally rather tanned, Gajeel looked like he had just come out of a three month hibernation, his skin almost matching the tone of Juvia's own. Having never seen the sun until a few months ago, she never actually tanned before. "No, nothing's wrong," he said, shaking his head. He was a bit out of breath. Did he...run here? "It's just that the ice princess was looking for you. He came into the guild hall asking where you were."

Juvia's sapphire eyes widened, her heart pounding so hard in her throat, she was sure it shook the ground. Gray was looking for _her_? Was this a dream. "Gray-sama is looking for Juvia?"

Gajeel nodded. "Normally I would love to watch him search like a mouse in a maze, but..." He shrugged, but he didn't need to finish his sentence. Juvia knew what he meant. He was here because he cared about her and he knew that knowing Gray was looking for her would make his best friend happy. "Oi! What the hell're you doing?" he demanded when Juvia dropped her umbrella on the ground and wrapped her arms around Gajeel's middle. The top of her head barely reached his chin. She wasn't as short as Levy, but she wasn't too tall, either. She was around the same height as flame-for-brains.

"Thank you, Gajeel," she said, looking up at him with sparkling eyes. "I'm very happy you came to tell me this."

Gajeel's eyes widened when Juvia spoke to him in the first person, not expecting it. It threw him off, making him stammer out his words, "Er, yeah, uh, no problem."

Juvia let go of him after a moment and picked up her umbrella, closing it. Even though the sun was almost blistering, especially since Juvia was wearing quite a few layers, she didn't want to hide from it anymore. Gray gave her this gift and now he was looking for her. Everything just seemed too good to be true. Juvia started walking back in the direction of the guild hall before she stopped short and turned around to face Gajeel with a smile. "Juvia thinks Gajeel-kun should tell Levy-chan how he feels. Before it gets too late." Juvia told Gray she was in love with him barely a week after they met, and maybe that was what scared him off, but it was better to her than living a life regretting not confessing like Gajeel was. "Even if Levy-chan rejects Gajeel-kun, everything will be just fine." He stared after her with wide eyes as she turned back around and walked quickly to the guild hall, her mood already a million times better than it was before.

Juvia was _happy_.

Pushing open the guild hall doors, Juvia was greeted by a cool breeze. The air conditioning was up on full blast, many of the members wearing as little layers as possible to escape the heat. Cana Alberona was chugging down a beer in her usual bikini top and pants. Some of the older members were laughing, calling Mirajane over to them for more drinks. This was Juvia's new home and she smiled. These people were odd, yes, but she didn't want to be anywhere else. Phantom wasn't this kind to her. She was glad they disbanded because now she was happier then she ever thought she could be. Even Gajeel seemed to be smiling more, especially around Levy. Before, he only really smiled around Juvia, and it was nice to see him opening up to people other than herself. "Gray-sama?" she called nervously, closing the doors behind her so the air wouldn't escape. She knew how Gray felt about her getting too close to him, but that didn't stop her from sitting next to him at the bar and making him boxed lunches. She was still happy, and even if he never loved her, seeing his smile - even from afar - was enough for Juvia.

"Oh, hi, Juvia," Cana said with a smile. Her words were slightly slurred and Juvia wondered how she was able to drink so much and not get seriously sick. "If you're looking for Gray, he's up on the second floor. He was looking for you. Dunno why," she shrugged. When Juvia nodded a thanks, Cana smiled and went right back to her alcohol.

Juvia walked towards the stairs, getting caught in the whiff of some smoke magic. She waved her hand in front of her face to get it to leave, ignoring when she heard an apology thrown her way. All that was on her mind was Gray. Her heart leapt with every single step, her cheeks getting redder and redder as her imagination ran wild. She thought of many different scenarios. One where he confessed to having loved her from the beginning. Another where he proposed marriage to her. And another where he said he wanted to live with her until he died. All of them left smoke coming out of her ears, her face so red, she could feel the heat radiating off of it. When she came to the top of the stairs, it took her a long moment to come out of her dazed daydream state to see Gray with his back to her. He was looking out the window. Since the master opened up the second floor for everyone, not just S Class wizards, Juvia noticed that Gray spent a lot of his time up here. She didn't know why, but she was too happy right now to ask. She blinked once when she saw how tense he was. His hands were in his pockets. He wasn't wearing a shirt, so Juvia could see how tense his shoulders were. She had a bad feeling he wasn't looking for her to confess his undying love for her. "Gray-sama...?" Juvia's voice was small and she pressed her lips together when he turned around, her cheeks blazing all over again.

Gray didn't smile, but his eyes weren't hard, either. He was too hard for Juvia to read. "Hey, Juvia," he greeted, leaning back against the window. His guild mark rose and fell with each breath he took. His hair was more unruly than it usually was.

"G-Gajeel-kun told Juvia that Gray-sama was looking for her," Juvia said shyly. Her right hand was clenched in a fist over her chest, her nails digging into her palm.

Gray nodded once. "I was." He didn't say anything for a long time, which worried Juvia even more. Neither of them moved, though. They weren't the only ones on the second floor. There was also Laxus, but he wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to them. He hated when non-S-Class mages came up to the second floor, so his sour expression wasn't something Gray and Juvia had never seen before. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

Juvia nodded, encouraging him to go on. Waiting for him to get on with it was like torture for Juvia. The suspension was killing her and she knew her hands were shaking.

Gray walked towards her and grabbed her right wrist, pulling it from its spot in front of her chest. Juvia gasped, her eyes wide. Gray's expression turned serious, but him being so close made Juvia really nervous. She could see the outline of a scar on his forehead. "Stop looking so nervous," he said, loosening his grip other wrist, but not dropping it. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

"J-Juvia knows that," she squeaked. Sometimes she wondered if he even knew how much of an affect on her and if he actually knew she loved him. But how could she not? He was handsome and strong, and he was kind at heart. To Juvia, Gray Fullbuster was perfect.

"I was looking for you because I wanted to ask if you wanted to go on a job with me. Our magic compliments each other, so I think it would be easy to get this job done."

Juvia could have died of happiness. She nodded quickly. "Juvia would love to go on a job with Gray-sama! Juvia is so happy!" Even though she already picked up a job, she could put that flyer back on the job requests board downstairs. She wasn't about to pass up this opportunity. She smiled widely. "Juvia is so, so happy," she said, looking down at his hand still wrapped around her wrist.

* * *

"So, Gray took a job with Juvia, huh?" Lucy asked as she packed up her clothes in a suitcase. Erza was folding the pull out bed back in. It had been three weeks since Lucy came to Fairy Tail. Her father hadn't tried to contact her, which made her both happy and uneasy. If he was planning something, she knew it would be something big. Erza allowed her to tag along on jobs, so she was now able to rent out her own apartment. She knew Erza must have been glad that she wouldn't be sleeping on her couch anymore. Lucy knew that Erza would never tell her to leave, but she also knew that she over-stayed her welcome and it was time to move on. The apartment she was able to get wasn't big by any means, but it was only 70,000J a month. It wasn't cheap, but if she kept taking jobs with Erza, she would be okay. Lucy learned a lot about her own magic while she fought enemies alongside her spirits. Her relationships with all of them got stronger. Well, not Aquarius. Aquarius still seemed to hate her guts, having screamed at her for about an hour after she accidentally dropped her keys after being attacked by some sort of enemy. She was just glad Erza was there to save her butt because otherwise she would have been dead.

Erza nodded. "That's what he told me. I'm quite shocked to hear it myself. Even though she's not shy about her feelings for him, he doesn't seem to like it at all."

"Do you know what kind of job it is?" Lucy asked, zipping up her duffle bag. With the extra money that wasn't going to her apartment, she was able to buy enough clothes to get by with. She had to remind herself never to let Gray pack her bags again. Her mother's locket never left its spot around her neck.

"I think he said it has to do with some rogue wizards who are pretending to be pirates?" She shrugged. "Honestly, I have no idea. All I know is that it pays well, so he even went as far as to ask Juvia for help."

Lucy let out a breath through her nose. "If you ask me, Gray shouldn't lead her on. I don't know Juvia all that well, but she seems like a nice person." Especially judging from the story Gajeel told her. "If he doesn't like her, he should tell her straight up." Even Lucy knew about the water mage's feelings for him.

Erza didn't say anything and Lucy wondered what she was thinking. Erza was so hard to read. Her expression was always hard as stone, her heart always protected by the armor she wore. The only time Lucy didn't see her in armor was when she occasionally passed her on the way top the bathroom and she was in her pajamas. Erza was silent for a long time before she held out a bag probably full of money. "Here," she said, handing it to Lucy. "Bring this to Natsu and Happy for me."

Lucy nodded. Natsu wasn't able to take jobs in his current state. Sometimes, Lucy saw a few extra scales on his arms, but she never asked him about it. She didn't want him to snap at her if she did. So Erza took out of her own money for Natsu so he would be able to say his own rent. And taking this to him would be the least she could do for her. "Sure," she said. She wasn't leaving Erza's until later that night so when she left for Natsu's home, Lucy only took the bag of money and her keys. She never left anywhere without them anymore. As she walked down the streets, the sun blaring down on her and making sweat form on her forehead and the back of her neck, she wondered if she could try going on a job without Erza. She wasn't the strongest mage in the world. In fact, there was a lot of room for improvement with her, but she thought even she could take up one of the lower paying jobs without relying on another mage to save her.

Natsu and Happy lived outside of the city of Magnolia. The scenery reminded Lucy of a forest and vines were growing on the sign that read: _Natsu & Happy._ She smiled softly before rapping thrice on the door, stepping back as she waiting for him to answer the door. But it wasn't Natsu who answered; it was Happy. "Hiya, Lucy!" Happy said, his paw up in a greeting. "What brings you here?"

Lucy showed him the bag. "Erza told me to bring this to you and Natsu."

Happy nodded. "Oh, okay. You can come inside. Our air conditioning doesn't work well, but it's cooler in here than out there." Happy walked in, leaving the door wide open for Lucy. She followed him, closing the door behind her.

"So, where's Natsu?" she asked, looking around the small home but not seeing the pink haired dragon slayer anywhere. His and Happy's home was barely stocked in food and he only had one couch. Even the TV lacrima was as small as Lucy's head. She wondered if he ever watched it and if he did, what kind of shows did he watch? He didn't seem like the type to watch much TV, though. When Lucy told him about a program she once saw, he looked at her like she had three heads. The floors were wood and the walls were a light green. Everything was basic and modern about the home. Lucy was sure that her new apartment was actually bigger. There was nothing homey about this. Lucy hugged her chest. She still had the bag of money in her right hand.

"Oh, he's out," Happy said simply. "I think he went to the guild hall to get some food from Mira. She gives us free food sometimes." Happy hopped up on the couch. "Come on, Lucy, sit down. Natsu won't mind."

Lucy slowly walked towards the couch and sat down. She left the bag on the small table in front of them. "Hey, Happy?"

"Hm?"

"Why can't Natsu take any jobs?" Lucy didn't quite understand. He wasn't going around destroying towns anymore even though she knew he wanted to continue searching for Igneel. If it was his appearance, Lucy thought that was stupid. Just because he had scales and horns and one of his eyes was red as opposed to hazel didn't mean he should be left out of work. He was nothing but gentle when it came to Lucy, so she had a hard time believing he was actually a really rough mage. She did see him destroying a town, but then she remembered how he smiled at her and like how much of a child he looked. Just thinking about it was making her head hurt.

The blue feline looked up at her and sighed. "He used to take loads of jobs. He and I went on tons with Carla, Gray, Wendy, and Erza. We were a team," he said, looking out at the off TV lacrima. "But then something went wrong during one of our jobs. It was a tough one. Wendy and Gray were knocked out and Erza was on the verge of falling. Natsu had to do something or they would all be killed. Even I was too weak to do anything!" Lucy knew that Happy wasn't strong in the slightest because he was a _cat_ , but she didn't say anything. "I don't know what went wrong exactly. Something with his dragon slayer magic that went wrong. He ate some fire and he used this magic called Dragon Force. It's the most powerful magic of dragon slayers. I've seen Natsu and Gajeel use it before, but never Wendy. She doesn't like fighting and stuff. But that kind of magic allows the user to take on the physical form of a dragon. Not literally, but the scales were from the Dragon Force. Natsu defeated the enemy, but the scales never actually went away. His eye was taken over. He doesn't talk about it, but I can tell there's something wrong with that eye. I think he sees something that we can't. Then the horns came and here we are now. Master Makarov forbade him from going on jobs, and Natsu got really angry. He then became obsessed with finding Igneel. He wants to be normal so badly that he left me behind and started burning down towns all over Fiore in search of Igneel. He figured Igneel would know what's happening, since he raised him and all. Igneel is Natsu's father, but he disappeared years ago without a trace. It's the same with all the other dragons."

Lucy blinked. "Wait...Igneel is Natsu's _father?_ How is that even possible?"

"Silly Lucy, Igneel's not Natsu's real father. He's the one who raised him, though. The only think Natsu has left is the scarf. Igneel gave it to him when he was little, years before I was even hatched."

Lucy decided to ignore the fact that Happy - a _cat_ \- said he was _hatched_. Lucy had no idea the scarf meant that much to him. She had no idea he had a past like that. His parent disappeared and left him behind. It was pitiful and Lucy frowned. He reminded her of herself. He lost Igneel and she lost Layla. Part of her just wanted to hug him and tell him everything was going to be okay. Lucy was about to ask about Igneel again when she heard the door slam.

"Damn it, Happy. Mira could only give us a couple things because Gramps was there. And it's mostly _fish_. Can you believe-" He cut off when he saw Lucy sitting on the couch. He put the containers down on the kitchen counter. "Lucy?" he asked and when Lucy nodded, he smiled. It was a boyish smile that had Lucy's heart thumping. "What brings you all the way out here?"

"She dropped off money from Erza!" Happy said, hopping off the couch and flying into the kitchen. "Aw, yes, fish!"

Natsu occupied the seat Happy was previously in.

"Oh, er, that's the money," she said, pointing to the small bag. Natsu looked at it for a second and just nodded, looking back at her. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Lucy asked uneasily after a long moment of him just staring at her.

"How come you don't smell like peaches anymore? You smell like...Erza."

Lucy blinked, absentmindedly touching her hair. "I guess because I've been using Erza's shampoo. I didn't get a chance to pack my shower stuff from back at the mansion."

Natsu lifted his upper lip. "I don't like it. It's throwing me off."

"Sorry?" How else was she supposed to respond to that? He always said such odd things that caught her off guard. It seemed that not only did he act without thinking, but he spoke without thinking too. He didn't have a single filter on him, it seemed.

Natsu leaned back on the couch, looking at Lucy with a raised eyebrow. His red eye was facing her and it sent a chill down her spine. And it wasn't the good kind of chill. She felt badly because it reminded her so much of something from a horror movie she used to regrettably watch by herself in the dark. She still had nightmares about some of those things. "You're moving into your new apartment tonight, right?"

Lucy nodded, smiling. "Yep! I finally got enough for my own place."

"How do you like going on jobs?" Natsu asked. Happy flew back in from the kitchen, a container in his paws. He had a fish in his mouth, so Lucy assumed whatever was in the container was for Natsu. Happy sat between the two of them, happily munching down on the fish.

How was she supposed to answer that? Now that she knew he wasn't allowed to go on jobs anymore, she didn't want to sit here and brag about how amazing they were. And they were amazing. It was the first time she ever did work for herself. It was the first time she received money that wasn't first her father's. It was the most fulfilling experience of her life. "It was okay," she said. She worried that he would see right through her, naming on her bottom lip. She wasn't the best liar out there. She was one of the worst, actually. "Erza is so cool, though. She's super strong."

Natsu nodded once. "She's one of the strongest in Fairy Tail for a reason. I wouldn't be surprised if she became the next master." He looked away from her, opening the container and taking a large bite out of the chicken in there. He waited until he swallowed his food before he spoke again. "But I think your spirits are really cool, too."

Lucy's face flushed. "R-Really?"

Natsu nodded. "That one who sang the song...That even got to me. That's power. Whenever I'm...like that, it's not easy to snap me out of it, but that spirit of yours did."

Lucy looked down at her lap, fiddling with her fingers. "Lyra gets her songs from the feelings of someone around her, whether that be happy or sad. The reason it affected you the way it did, Natsu, was because she took the lyrics from deep within _your_ heart. Those words meant nothing to me, Gray, or Erza, that's why none of us reacted and you did. That's one of her powers."

"Oh." Lucy looked back up at Natsu, but he was too busy staring at the food in front of him. She wondered what he was thinking. She wondered if he was feeling vulnerable. Lyra had that affect. Lucy called on her after her mother died. Lyra was one of her first spirits, a birthday gift from Layla. And the song she sang had Lucy crying for an entire week, the sad lyrics taken from her heart. Lucy had been too young at the time to understand Lyra's power, so she didn't understand why the words she sang stung her so hard. Lucy reached out and wrapped her fingers around Natsu's arm. He looked up at her, a confused expression written across his face. "Are you okay, Lucy?"

"I understand."

"Huh?"

Lucy looked up at him, her eyes wide. Seeing her like that made Natsu pull back from her. "The lyrics. I understand them now. I won't tell anyone, Natsu," she said, shaking her head. She didn't know why tears formed in her eyes, but they did. She wiped them away with her free hand and it seemed that seeing her cry made Natsu even more uncomfortable than before. He fumbled when asking her why she was crying, but she ignored him. She knew that the one he had been waiting on the mountain top for was Igneel. Igneel leaving clearly having had a huge affect on him. "I see it, Natsu!" Lucy closed her eyes, a few tears escaping down her cheeks and over her chin, landing on her thigh. _When they look at me, they see just black_. Those were some of Lyra's lyrics. Those lyrics and Happy's words from not long ago were ringing through her head. "I can see it, in your smile. I see the real you!"

Natsu's eyes were wide as he stared down at her.

"A lot of people think you're evil, Natsu, but I don't!" She shook her head. She opened her eyes and when she saw how close her face was to his, her cheeks turned to tomatoes and she let go of his arm, backing away until she was all the way on the other side of the couch. Natsu looked like a deer in headlights and even Happy stopped eating his fish and was staring at her with wide eyes. She gasped. What if she said something wrong? Was she out of line? "S-S-Sorry," she said. "I'll just be on, er, on my way now." Lucy stood up and started to head for the door, walking by Natsu. But she didn't get far because his hand wrapped around her own smaller one, stopping her. Her eyes were wide and she knew how red her face was. She wanted to leave now. She was so embarrassed. But Natsu's hand...It was so warm.

For a long time, no words were spoken. Even Happy was silent, something that was very unusual. Goosebumps rose along her skin and her heart started to pound, but Lucy made no effort in trying to pull away from him. It felt like years before he spoke, "Lucy." Lucy still didn't look back at him even though she could feel his eyes burning holes in the back of her head. "Thank you."

* * *

 _Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you._

Such simple words and yet they wouldn't leave Lucy's mind even after she left Natsu's and Happy's house and was walking towards the guild hall. After he thanked her, she pulled her hand away and ran out of the door like her life depended on it. She knew it was a bad choice on her part, but she was too flustered to stay there any longer. She needed to get out of there, and it had to be fast. She was just glad that the breeze was cooler now that the sun was starting to set, relieving her of some of the sweat on her forehead. She took a few deep breaths and by the time she walked into the guild hall, she was feeling a lot more calm. Natsu's voice was still distant in her mind, but she pretended it wasn't as she greeted everyone with a smile and a wave. Mirajane seemed happiest to see her; the bartender was always so kind to Lucy. Lucy came here before she would be moving into her new apartment to browse the job request board.

She stood in front of the board, not entirely reading anything. Natsu was still on her mind, distracting her. She had to snap out of it. Shaking her head, she reached for the first request she saw, but someone beat her to it. "Hey!" she said, looking over at the person beside her. He had orange hair and was wearing sunglasses, which made no sense to Lucy because they were currently indoors.

"That's too bad because I grabbed it fi-" He stopped talking when he looked at her, his eyes widening behind those glasses of his. "Layla?!"

"Eh?!"

He dropped the job request form and it fell to the floor, but his eyes never left Lucy, wide as saucers. His eyes were traveling her body not-so-discreetly. Startled, Lucy backed away from him, her shoulders tense. "Layla," he said again, his face softening. Lucy didn't understand why he was calling her by her mother's name. "You look so young. But it's been...It's been almost twenty years. Why do you still look like a teenager. What moisturizer do you use?"

Lucy's breathing became uneven. Could this mean...he knew her mother? But she didn't understand how that was possible because he looked Lucy's age, not a day over seventeen. How could he have known her mother twenty years ago? "Er, I...I'm not...I'm not Layla," she said in a soft voice.

He cocked his head to the side. "What? You look just like her."

Him talking about her mother was bringing back some pain. Her heart, which was just feeling full a minute ago, was feeling empty again. She looked down at the ground. "Layla was my mother. She, er, she died when I was ten. She was twenty nine." Images of her grave flashed through Lucy's mind. She didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to her mother. She wondered if she would ever see her grave again. It was on Heartfilia soil, after all.

He looked taken aback, blinking a few times. "Layla...Had a daughter? I'm sorry, it's just that you look just like her. You must get nothing from your father."

That wasn't true, of course. There were things she got from her father. Like her stubbornness, her argumentative nature, and her nose were just some of the things she got from Jude that she wished she could give back. She didn't understand how Layla could have fallen in love with him unless he was completely different all those years ago. "How could you have known my mother? You don't look any older than I am."

He shifted his weight from one foot to another. "You're a celestial mage...Aren't you?"

Lucy was kind of annoyed that he completely ignored her question, but she nodded anyway.

"I'll tell you how I knew your mother. Just as long as you don't tell anyone else here. It's kind of my biggest secret."

 _Then why are you willing to tell a complete stranger?!_ she thought. "I don't even know your name," she said, but he grabbed her arm and walked out of the gulf hall with her before he said anything. She looked down at his hand, unable to help comparing it to Natsu's.

He looked back at her and grinned. "It's Loke."

"Lucy." She would be lying if she said she didn't think he was handsome. He was actually one of the more handsome men she had ever seen who wasn't on TV. He was wearing baggy clothes, but she could tell that he was slender because they were clearly too big for him. His hair was short, sticking up all over the place. He was about a head taller than Lucy, his jaw angular. When he saw that she was staring at him, he chuckling. Embarrassed, she kept her eyes on the floor as he lead her through the streets of Magnolia. It was dark now and the hot breeze was replaced by a cool one, blowing Lucy's hair behind her shoulders. She had to get back to Erza's soon to move her stuff into her apartment. But she was so curious about what Loke wanted to tell her that she was sure Erza wouldn't mind if she was a little late.

Like led her out of the town and by the time he stopped, she was completely out of breath. Lucy wasn't not in shape, but she had to practically sprint to keep up with his own pace. He, however, didn't seem affected by the distance at all. He just sat down on the hill, letting his legs dangle off. He looked up at the sky. "Do you know which of the twelve zodiacs it is tonight?"

Confused, Lucy just sat next to him and looked at the sky as well. Without all the city lights, the stars were more visible, beautifully lighting up the night sky. She remembered her mother telling her, _"Look up at the sky. During certain nights, there are constellations up there known as the zodiac. Aquarius and Cancer? They are my zodiac spirits. They come from those Constellations."_

 _"But, Mama, why are people zodiacs, too?"_

 _Layla chuckled softly, patting her nine year old daughter's head. She wanted to tell Lucy as much as she could about the celestial spirit world before it was too late. "That depends on their birthday. For example, Lucy, you are a Cancer. When you were born on June 23, the Cancer constellation was visible in the sky. People believe that the zodiac they are born under determines their personality."_

 _Lucy looked up at her mother with brown eyes wide as the moon itself. "What is your sign, Mama? What about Papa?"_

 _"Papa is a Libra." Layla smiled and wrapped her arms around Lucy, who happily hugged her in return. "Why, I'm an Aquarius."_

 _Lucy's eyes began to sparkle as she gasped. "Just like the mermaid!"_

 _"Yes, exactly like the mermaid."_

That was one of Lucy's more vivid memories of her mother. It was also one of her last, so it made her both happy and sad at the same time. Since that night, Lucy had been interested in the zodiac. She started researching Cancer people to see if that personality matched her own and, in a way, it did. She slowly started to believe that the zodiac wasn't a load of garbage and she still believed that today. In fact, judging from how impulsive Natsu was, she wouldn't be surprised if he was an Aries. For a moment, she forgot Loke had been talking to her, but when she looked at him, he was still looking at the stars. She cleared her throat, looking back up. "Well, it's July the twenty eighth...So," she said, pausing for a moment to think. "It should be Leo. Yeah?"

Loke nodded and Lucy noticed the sad smile he had on his face. For a while he was silent, and Lucy was about to say something else when he pointed up to the sky. "There. That's Leo."

Lucy looked up at the sky. The constellation was hidden, but she was able to see it. "Are you a Leo or something, Loke?" Lucy asked after a long while, looking away from the sky and over to him. She didn't have all night and she wanted to just know how he knew her mother already. He seemed to be stalling.

Loke nodded. "You know, I'm also not very good around celestial wizards. Not anymore."

"What does that have to-"

Lucy was cut off (and ignored) by Loke, "I met your mother twenty years ago."

"Wait," Lucy said, holding her hand out to stop him only for a moment. There was something she needed to clear up before he continued. "There's this vibe about you, Loke. It's the same kind of energy Virgo gives off. Taurus, too, and Cancer and Aquarius. It's not that strong. Actually, I didn't really notice until you grabbed my arm. It's dwindling, isn't it? You're weak, aren't you, Leo the Lion?"

Loke's green eyes widened for only a moment before they relaxed. "Looks like you figured out my secret. You must be a powerful mage because I've been living in the human world for three years. I have no more magic energy left." Lucy's eyes widened; she had a bad feeling she knew what he was getting at, but she let him continue about how he knew her mother. "My key got into her hands through an S-Class job she took. She was part of a guild called Love & Lucky. She was one of its most powerful mages. I never knew a celestial wizard so strong before. She truly loved all of her spirits. And that love was what made them - us - stronger. She fought alongside us...I really enjoyed being under a contract with her. But my attitude towards her was sour at the time. I regret it now, but I was always trying to find my friend Aries. I had a bad feeling that she was in trouble. So, one day, Layla terminated our contract. She gave my key back and told me to go find Aries.

"It took years. But I did eventually find her. Refusing to leave her again, we both were contracted to a powerful mage called Karen Lillica. She was nothing like Layla. She abused me and, more importantly, she abused Aries and used her as a shield and a decoy for horny men. She was strong, but truly cruel. I always took Aries's place. I didn't want her to get hurt. You see, she is the most innocent and kind zodiac spirit there is. I...I feel the need to protect her. I still do, even though I was banished from the spirit world three years ago. I wondered what it would have been like if she fell into the hands of Layla. I knew Layla would protect her and be her friend as well. Lucy, Layla was the kindest celestial mage I knew. She was able to open multiple gates at once. No other mage was able;e to open four, but she was."

"F-Four?" Lucy asked after Loke was silent for a while, her eyes wide.

Loke nodded. "Four zodiacs, too. Myself, Aquarius, Cancer, and Capricorn." He eyed Lucy for a moment. "Actually, I'm a bit surprised you have Aquarius and Cancer but not Capricorn. I'm also pleasantly surprised that you acquired two other zodiac keys on your own."

Lucy didn't want to tell him that Virgo came to her and Taurus was given to her as a gift. She didn't acquire any of them through jobs like many other wizards did. Though now that she was a part of Fairy Tail, it was her personal goal to have all twelve zodiacs. "Loke...Why were you banned from the celestial spirit world?"

Lucy was incredibly shocked as he told the story. Though she was shocked at first when he said he killed his wizard, he was justified when he told her the reason why. The story actually infuriated Lucy. She couldn't stand to see him die when he wasn't at fault. He was just trying to protect Aries. "I'm going to go to Karen's grave now. That is where I'm going to disappear forever."

Lucy grabbed his coat sleeve before he could leave. He stopped and she started to cry, standing up. "No!" she exclaimed. "You aren't going anywhere. I'm not going let you die, Loke! I can open your gate and you can go back. Please! Open, Gate of the Lion!"

"That won't work, Lucy. Just let me go."

Lucy shook her head. "How can I?! Not only are you a celestial spirit, but you're a member of Fairy Tail, too. You're my friend. I'm not going to let this happen. Open! Gate of the Lion!"

* * *

As Lucy walked towards her apartment, she stared at the Leo key on her gate key ring. Her fifth zodiac spirit. The celestial spirit king allowed Loke to stay as long as he made a contract with his "friend". Lucy was able to summon him whenever she needed. She was honestly surprised by how often he said she could summon him because zodiac spirits tended to have strict times when they could be called on, especially Aquarius who got angry every time Lucy accidentally summoned her when she was with her boyfriend.

Lucy was relieved now, though, because Loke was resting back in the spirit world. She made herself a promise that she would try to find who Aries was contracted to. Though she had a little bit of hope that they would meet in the spirit world again.

Feeling exhausted after only briefly summoning all of her celestial spirits at once, Lucy was looking forward to going to sleep in her own, new bed. They were only able to be there for a few seconds, but it took just about all of her magic energy. Sleepily, she unlocked the door to her new apartment, tossing her bags on the floor without a single care in the world. She walked in only to be completely startled by Natsu and Happy, who were making themselves right at home. "What the hell are you doing?!" she demanded. "You're breaking and entering!"

"Yo!" Natsu had his feet up on the coffee table, stuffing his face with some sort of snack. Happy was flying around him until he landed on Lucy's chest, hugging her. "This is a nice apartment you have here."

"Why are you here?!" Lucy shouted. Happy stopped hugging her and landed on Natsu's head, holding onto his horns. He did the same thing when they were up in that tree three weeks ago. Usually, Lucy thought it was sweet, but she was too tired and annoyed to be anything but angry.

"We wanted to see your new apartment," Natsu said, stuffing his face with the chips he had on his lap.

"It's a lot nicer than ours," Happy said.

"Get out!" she shouted, pointing towards the door. All she wanted was some sleep, was that too much to ask?

However, the two of them didn't listen at all. Natsu stood up and grabbed Lucy's gate keys from her, observing them with his eyebrows furrowed. "Did you get a new one?"

Lucy blinked. She was still mad that he broke in to her house, but she was also proud that she got a new key all by herself. No one gave it to her. She _deserved_ it. "I sure did. Leo the Lion."

"Summoning me already, Lucy?" Lucy felt an arm wrap around her shoulder and she looked over to see Loke. He looked different. Actually, he looked like a different person. His hair was longer and he had a set of ears blending with it. He was wearing a more form fitting suit now, but he still had sunglasses on. She still didn't understand why he wore those. "I know our love is blooming, but didn't we just finish holding each other?"

Lucy knew she was teasing, but she pushed him off of her anyway. "I didn't summon you!" Now there were way too many unwanted people in her apartment. _She just wanted some sleep_.

"Holy shit," Natsu said, observing Loke. Natsu was shorter than the spirit, so he had to look up to get a good look at his face. "Loke? You're a celestial spirit?"

"Guilty."

The three of them fell into a conversation about how Natsu apparently "knew it" and how a lion was just a big cat. Lucy snuck away and went into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She let out a tired breath, sloppily changing into her pajamas and crawling into the bed, wrapping the covers around herself. Normally, she would have wanted to take a bath, but she was too tired for that now. She would just do it in the morning.

She began to drift off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep when someone opened her door, the light from the living room waking her up again. She groaned, covering her face with the covers. She felt the bed shift, meaning someone - either Loke or Natsu - was sitting on the edge of her bed. She didn't bother to ask in hopes that he would take the hint that she was tired and to go away. But that didn't happen. Whoever it was grabbed the blanket and pulled it off of Lucy's face. She had her eyes closed, but she turned to her left side, her back towards him, grumbling for him to go away.

"Lucy."

That was definitely Natsu. His voice was a lot scratchier than Loke's. "What?" Lucy groaned, not moving from her current fetal position or opening her eyes. For a split second, she could have sworn, she felt him reach out to touch her, but he pulled away immediately. It was rather unfortunate for him that he was a fire mage because heart practically radiated off of him. Lucy opened one eye and looked up at him. He was silhouetted, but she could tell he wasn't smiling. He didn't say anything for a long time and Lucy sighed heavily. "If you have nothing to say, please go home so I can sleep." If she told him she was weak from lack of magic power, he would definitely believe she was weak. Natsu was definitely a lot stronger than Lucy was, but, at the same time, she didn't want him thinking she was just a weak damsel who couldn't protect herself. Her spirits were powerful, and if what Loke said about them getting stronger with love was true, she could only get stronger from here on out. And now that she had Leo, who was the leader of all the zodiacs, she wasn't so scared about going on jobs by herself anymore.

"I gotta talk to you, Lucy," he said.

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"No."

Confused, Lucy turned over so she was looking up at him. Out of habit, she covered her chest with the blanket. She was a bit worried now. What could possibly not wait until the morning? It had to be serious, then. Natsu did look serious, but she couldn't be too sure just yet. After all, he tended to get serious about a lot of things that didn't matter. He asked her just last week (with a very serious expression) why Plue didn't bark if he was a dog. Therefore, Lucy had no idea what to expect. "Okay," she said slowly when he didn't say anything else. "What's up?" She hoped he would make this quick because she was still so very exhausted.

Natsu let out a heavy breath. "It's about earlier today." Lucy's eyes widened and she was glad he couldn't see her red face. She was still embarrassed about breaking down in front of him the way she did. He must have thought she was stupid or something. She pulled the blanket up, covering her lips. "When you said that you see the real me...How? I just...I don't understand and it's been bugging me, Lucy. Please, tell me."

Lucy's heart was hammering in her chest so fast she worried he could feel it vibrating the bed. "You have a temper on you, Natsu, yes, but you're nothing but kind to me. That's really all." _No, it isn't._ There was so much more to it, but she was too scared of telling him. He might the wrong idea or think she had feelings for him or something. And she didn't. She _totally_ didn't. "You could have killed me back at the mansion. But you didn't."

Natsu didn't seem satisfied with that answer, running his fingers through his hair. Some of the pink strands caught on his horns. He looked like he was going to say something but decided against it. That small action itself made Lucy's eyes wide. He never thought before he spoke what was on his mind. Was he really _that_ troubled about all of this? "Lucy, I..."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "Natsu...?" This entire exchange seemed so out of character for him; it worried her. Did he have a fever or something? Maybe he wasn't feeling well. She pulled her right arm out of the blanket and reached up to touch his forehead just to make sure, but he leaned away from her. Slowly, she pulled her hand away. He never pulled away from any of her absentminded touches before. Maybe something really was wrong here. "Natsu, what's going on here?" she asked, her voice a lot more serious now.

"Lucy, there's something I have to tell you."

Lucy blinked. "Tell me, then." She didn't understand why this seemed to be so hard for him. What was stopping him? Did she do something to upset him? Maybe telling him all of those things about Lyra's song was too personal and he was going to tell her to back off now. She wouldn't ask about his past anymore if he didn't want her to. She was curious about it, yes, but she didn't want to lose his friendship. She believed the two of them to be friends, after all.

"I..." He paused for a long moment, looking away from her. "I can't."

"Eh?" She blinked. " _Then why the hell did you wake me up?_ "

His hand clenched into a fist, taking some of the soft fabric of her blanket in it. It wasn't like the silk she had at home, but she was more comfortable here in Magnolia in this little apartment than she ever was back home in that giant mansion. "I mean, I want to tell you, but I...I dunno," he said.

"If it's about earlier," Lucy said, feeling badly that he was beating himself up about whatever this was. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have intruded on your personal life. I won't do it again," she said with a shake of her head.

"That's not what I'm talking about. I don't care about that. You can cry in front of me if you want. You can..You can ask about my past all you want and I'll tell you."

"Then what in the world is it? Just spit it out, Natsu. Rip it off, just like a bandaid."

Natsu was silent for a moment, and when he spoke, he practically screamed at her. "Lucy, I think I-"

This time, he didn't cut himself off. Instead, he was cut off by the sound of an explosion. Wide eyed, both of them looked out the window only to see the Fairy Tail guild hall on fire, being attacked by various magic. Lucy's eyes were wide and Natsu looked like he was about to kill someone, the veins in his forehead and arms popping.

" _Fairy Tail..._ "

* * *

Gajeel didn't get nervous. So why did it take _all day_ for him to get the courage to walk up to Levy? He was going to take Juvia's advice and just tell the little script mage how he felt. What was the worst that could happen? He would get rejected? That wouldn't be so bad. Juvia was rejected countless times by Gray, but she was still trailing after him and making him lunches. But now she was off on some job with him, so maybe Gray was harboring some of the same feelings for her. It wasn't that Juvia wasn't beautiful. In fact, Gajeel was sure she was one of the most beautiful women in the entire guild. There was just one mage who surpassed her. "Ahem. Levy."

The blue haired girl looked up from her books when Gajeel cleared his throat. He was standing over her with his arms folded over his chest looking rather menacing. Levy wasn't at all phased by any of it; she just fixed her glasses and looked up at him. "Yeah?"

Even though Juvia knew about Gajeel's feelings for the shrimp, no one else did because he seldom spoke to Levy at all. He mostly kept his distance in the guild hall, even when she tried to talk to him. He was okay with talking through communication lacrimas because that was in private and she didn't have her minions attached to her hips like she did now, Jet and Droy glaring daggers at Gajeel's head. "Can I talk to you?" He looked up at the two men standing behind Levy. "Privately?"

"Uh," she stammered, looking back at Jet and Droy for a moment. Both of them seemed annoyed. "Sure, I guess." She closed her book and stood up. When when she stood, she barely reached Gajeel's chest. He never thought he was the kind of guy who fell for the small and cute type instead of the more tall and sexy type like Mirajane and Lisanna. But there was something about Levy, whether it be her looks or her smarts, that was sexier to Gajeel than any of the women featured in magazines. "We can go outside and talk."

Gajeel nodded, walking out of the hall with her. They stayed by the building, though. Gajeel was leaning back against the wall, his arms folded over his chest. Here he was. And here she was. So what was he supposed to say right now? Should he just go out and tell her? What if she laughed at him? That seemed a lot worse than getting rejected in his opinion. But Juvia never would have suspected anyone would laugh in another's person's face because she always saw the best in people. If she didn't, she and Gajeel never would have been friends. He was an asshole to even her before they became friends.

"Are you okay, Gajeel?" Levy asked. "You seem tense." She was looking up at him with her big brown eyes and Gajeel was glad it was night because then she couldn't see his blush.

He had to just tell her. There was no weaving around it now. At least no one other than her would hear this words. "You need to listen, Shrimp, because I ain't gonna repeat myself." When he saw she nodded, he just said it, keeping his eyes on her the entire time. "Last year when you came to Phantom, it wasn't Jet who saved you. It was me." He noticed that her eyes got wide and he was almost afraid of leaving her enough time to say something. "I'm the one who left you on the train back to Magnolia. Not him. It was me and I dunno why I want to protect you all the damn time. It ain't like with Juvia. It's different because I guess I'm not not attracted to you." _Way to go. Being the most confusing you can is a sure-fire way of confessing._ Gajeel felt very out of place like this, very vulnerable. He wasn't one to express how he was feeling. He always kept a tough facade. But now that was shattered in front of Levy. She was looking at him with wide eyes, not saying a word. Maybe it was better that way. If she said something bad, Gajeel worried it would hurt. He may have been Black Steel Gajeel, but he was a lot softer with Levy and he was sure that would be his downfall.

"Are you...Gajeel, are you confessing to me?" she asked after a long time and Gajeel went into immediate defense mode.

He growled, looking away from her. "Like I said, I ain't repeating myself." He looked annoyed, but the redness of his cheeks was enough to prove that he actually wasn't.

Everything was silent between the two of them for a long time. Gajeel could feel his heart beating against his ribcage. He wanted to walk away and save himself the embarrassment, but his feet seemed to be glued to the floor, not wanting to move until he heard an answer from her. Anything would have been fine at this point. Anything other than silence. "Gajeel, I..." Levy cut herself off when she realized her was touching his hand, pulling hers away quickly. Gajeel noticed that she, too, was blushing. His heart flipped. "I thought it was Jet when it was happening because I was in and out of consciousness, but after you joined Fairy Tail, I..I don't know, I recognized your back. I mean, when I accidentally walked into you in the library, I could tell that it was your back I was on and not his. It sounds really stupid, I know, but-"

Levy was cut off when Gajeel's lips attached to her own. She gasped, her eyes wide before she let them close, kissing him back. His hand ran through her hair and his free arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her up so it was easier to kiss. Bending down that far was uncomfortable. Levy was shocked, but she leaned into the kiss, pressing her body to his. Her heart was pounding. She had kissed men before, yes, but something about this was different. It was exciting and she felt her toes curling from just a kiss. And felt empty when he pulled away. Both were breathing heavily, just staring at each other. Neither Levy nor Gajeel knew what to say.

"Tsk. _Gross._ "

Gajeel and Levy looked to the side only to see a man with long black hair standing there. He wasn't a member of Fairy Tail, but the black shadow surrounding his body proved that he was a wizard. Not just a wizard, either. Gajeel's eyes widened when he saw the scales on him. A dragon slayer. And he was using Dragon Force. Gajeel dropped Levy, standing in front of her. "Who the fuck are you?"

The man chuckled. "Such a sour mouth you have on you, Black Steel Gajeel."

Gajeel narrowed his eyes at him, a low growl escaping from the back of his throat. "Stay behind me, Levy," he said, not taking his eyes off of the other man. However, he did see Levy looking up at him. Gajeel clenched his fists when the man laughed.

"Yeah, little girl, stay behind your big, bad boyfriend," he said mockingly. "You're probably too weak to take me on without him."

Gajeel stole a glance at Levy. She was glaring at him, but he wondered if she really did believe him. It was probably true. Gajeel never saw Levy using her magic unless she really had to, and Gajeel was an iron dragon slayer. He looked back at the man. "What the fuck do you want?" he demanded, his teeth gritted.

"Gajeel! Look out!" Levy shouted, pushing him out of the way of a falling stone. It came from the guild hall. Fairy Tail was under attack. It did managed to hit Levy's back, making her yelp out in pain. She fell over and Gajeel immediately picked her up. If he wasn't pissed off before, he sure was now. Levy was over his shoulder and still conscious, but Gajeel used his free arm for his iron sword. He tried to attack the man, but he escaped into the shadows.

He laughed again, mocking him. "You should know you can't hit a shadow."

"Shadow dragon slayer," Levy piped up, gasping. "Gajeel! Be careful! He's Rogue from the Sabertooth guild and he's not the only dragon slayer they have!"

"Levy," he said and she looked over to him. He had a serious expression on his face. "Can you run?"

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "I think so," she said, nodding.

"Go find everyone else. See if they're okay. We don't have Gray and Juvia here, so see if you can find Erza."

"But-"

"Just go!" he shouted. "I can take care of this bastard. Just go!" He didn't want Levy to stay here and get hurt. He would never forgive himself if she got hurt when he could have protected her. He clenched his fists. "You made a huge mistake attacking Fairy Tail."

Levy hesitantly agreed, stealing glances back at him as she ran around the corner. Gajeel and Rogue began their fight. Levy didn't want to watch it; she didn't want to watch if he got hurt. Her back ached, but she ignored it for now. There were more important things going on right now. She had to find Erza.

She gasped when she turned the corner and saw many wizards from Sabertooth attacked the guild hall. Others were in battles with Fairy Tail wizards. Even Mirajane transformed into her Satan Soul and was fighting off a woman Levy didn't recognize. She looked around frantically for Erza, but she didn't see her anywhere in this chaos. Cana and Romeo were fighting back to back. Macao was fighting as well and so were Elfman, Lisanna, Evergreen, and Freed. Levy didn't see Laxus, either. It seemed that the strongest mages in Fairy Tail were nowhere to be found. Gajeel was one of the strongest as well, but he was busy with that shadow dragon slayer, and Levy knew that would take most - if not all - of his magic energy. And there was still a second dragon slayer out there somewhere.

Levy began to run through the crowd. She stopped when she saw Natsu, Lucy, and Happy running towards the guild hall. "Hey!" she called out, running towards them. By the time she reached them, she was completely out of breath.

"Levy-chan?" Lucy asked, reached down to help her. "Are you okay? What's going on here?"

"It's Sabertooth. They're attacking Fairy Tail. Gajeel is fighting one of their dragon slayers, but there's another..." She looked at Natsu who looked about ready to murder. "Natsu, you have to help us. We don't have Gray or Juvia or Laxus. And I can't find Erza."

"So it's just me, then." Natsu was grinning, cracking his knuckles. "Looks like I can prove to Gramps that I can go on jobs still." He turned to Levy. "Keep looking for Erza. And Wendy, too. We might need her healing magic."

Levy nodded and Natsu took off in a run. Lucy called after him, but sighed when he just kept going. "Levy-chan," Lucy said and Levy turned to face her. "I'm going in too. I just want to tell you to be careful."

Levy nodded. "You too...Lu-chan." Levy watched Lucy go until she disappeared from sight, taking off towards Erza's house. "Dammit, Erza," she grumbled to herself. "Where are you?"


	8. The Dragon's Rage

**Hello! Again, I am so sorry for the delay in publishing! Life has been getting in the way. Stupid life. Anyway, I just want to make it clear that I know I changed Lucy's birthday. I might change all of their birthdays just to make it feel more AU because this story is AU and stuff. Sorry if that bothered anyone. Oh, and I'm not a very good action writer, so I'm sorry if this very action-filled chapter sucks. But I'm going to stop yapping and get right into what you all really want to read.**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Warning: There's some mildly gory things (blood) in this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer:** **I don't own the masterpiece that is Fairy Tail.**

* * *

"They're looking for you, Erza."

The sound of buildings crumbling and spells being casted was loud even with the window shut. Erza Scarlet stood in front of that closed window, her arms folded over her chest. She looked down to see Levy shouting her name, but she didn't move a single muscle. "I know," she breathed. As of one hour ago, Magnolia has been in disarray. The townspeople were flocking and running out so quickly that they trampled each other. Erza had a bad feeling about this whole situation. The strongest wizards in Fairy Tail weren't in the battle. Natsu was strong, but Erza knew he was in no shape to fight the way he was. He lost control much too easily and she knew he would never forgive himself if he burned down Magnolia.

What was even more stupid was Lucy running into the fight after him. Erza knew very well that Lucy wasn't a good fighter. Not yet, anyway. Erza was always saving her on the jobs they went on together and the blonde mage seemed really weak as she hobbled into the chaos. _Idiot,_ Erza thought, gritting her teeth.

"Don't you think you should go help them? You're their strongest mage. Well, aside from Natsu, but you know how he is."

"He can't control himself or his magic."

Erza turned around, leaning back against the warm window. Her red hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, and she was wearing her signature armor. She folded her arms over her chest as her eyes met the light brown ones of Jellal Fernandes.

"I will go," she said. "But, for now, I have faith in my members. Even if we don't have Gray and Juvia here, we do have Gajeel." Erza looked down at the ground. She wasn't that worried about her friends. Well, she was a little worried about Lucy. She wasn't nearly as strong as the other members yet. She was a bit worried about the guild hall, maybe, but there was something she needed to do first. Jellal wasn't going to be in Magnolia for much longer. Hell, he was wanted by The Council and his new guild mates - Ultear and Meredy - were waiting for him just outside of town.

The blue haired man was sitting on the arm of the couch, his right leg folded loosely over his left. Even though he was a grown man now, all Erza could see was the young boy who gave her her name. "Even after all these years, Erza, you're still loyal to me." There wasn't any malice behind his tone; he sounded more like he didn't believe her. She knew he had trouble coming to terms with the fact that she forgave him for all the mishap in the Tower of Heaven, but Erza knew that her heart would never truly distrust Jellal.

"You said you have news for me," Erza said, ignoring his words even though they tugging at her heart. Jellal was one (if not her only) of her weaknesses. He made her _feel_. She was seldom brought to tears, but just being in the same room as Jellal made her want to bawl. She kept herself composed, making sure not to look into his eyes for too long at a time. The last time she did, the two almost shared a kiss. And she would have kissed him if he didn't push her away. "Normally I wouldn't rush you to tell me, but there's a dire situation going on out there." Her hands started to shake. She _hated_ this. She _hated_ that he made her this way. She felt weak all because he was sitting there.

"Actually," he started, "it's got to do with this." He gestured to the window, but Erza's heart still skipped a beat when it hoped that maybe he was pointing to her.

"I think I have an idea," Erza said. She locked her eyes on the wall behind him. It was easier to talk without looking at him. "I believe it to be the work of Lucy's father. He has made many threats to myself and Gray. He could have hired Sabertooth to take Lucy back."

"That would be much too easy."

"What are you talking about?"

Jellal put both feet on the wood floor, his dirty boots staining it. "Lucy's father isn't behind this. To be fair, I don't think he cares about whether or not Lucy Heartfilia comes home. Even though she is the heir to the Heartfilia wealth, Jude Heartfilia always wanted a son." Erza was about to ask how he knew all of this when Jellal held his hand up. When he spoke, she wondered if he could read her mind, "Ultear was able to gather this information. But you know how she is about not wanting to run into Gray. So she sent me to warn Fairy Tail instead. Of course, I came to you."

Erza pressed her lips together. She knew that it was because most of the guild despised him for what he did to her. She was the only one who would give him that time of day; that was what she convinced herself was the reason for him coming to talk to her over anyone else. Getting her hopes up now would be nothing but futile.

"Sabertooth wants nothing to do with that Heartfilia girl. The one they're after is Natsu."

* * *

"There's too many of them! We have to do something!" Lisanna Strauss had one eye closed, her back pressed against Bixlow's. Her legs were shaking, blood dripping from her right thigh. She had been hit by a blow of some sort of sand magic rough enough to cut her skin. She had been with Elfman and Evergreen, but they got separated not long ago. She could see Mirajane in the sky with Freed. Last she knew, the two of them were fighting with that large god slayer. She didn't know who Elfman and Evergreen were up against. It was a relief to see that her sister was okay.

"I'm tryin' here!" Bixlow shouted over the attacks.

Lisanna and Bixlow had bonded over the fact that they both thought Elfman and Evergreen were made for each other, but they never hung out before. And now they were left to fight together. And against five Sabertooth wizards, too! She coughed as sand encircled them again, covering her eyes with her arms. "I can't...I can't seem to transform."

But Bixlow didn't hear her. "Babies!" he screamed. "Where are you, babies!?"

"Is this...A magic sealing barrier?" She dared to open one eye. She saw the shadow of the Sabertooth wizards from beyond the barrier. She could feel the heavy breathing of Bixlow and she wondered if he was okay. "Bixlow!" she shouted, looking over at him. He seemed to hear her that time because he looked down at her. His helmet was off. At first, Lisanna had been terrified of being turned into one of his puppets, but she now knew that he had control over that magic. Evergreen used her glasses to shield her stone-turning ability, but Lisanna had looked at Bixlow's eyes many times and she wasn't a puppet yet. His eyes were red like Gajeel's and he had a tattoo on his face. He wasn't by far the best looking man in the guild (that, in her opinion, was Natsu), but Lisanna still felt safe with him there. "We have to get out of this! It's blocking our magic."

He nodded once and turned back to look at the sand swirling around them. Some of it was cutting Lisanna's arms and she hissed. It felt more like little knives than grains of sand. "Lisanna," he called and Lisanna leaned back against him to tell him that she was listening. She just hoped he understood the message. "If I can run through the barrier, I'll be able to distract them. Then you can attack."

Lisanna's blue eyes were wide. They were aching and red, but she didn't care. Her heart was hammering. "Are you crazy? That's suicide, Bixlow! That barrier can rip your body to shreds! Don't be stupid."

"Do you have a better plan?" he shouted. "Your transformation magic might not be like Mirajane's or Elfman's where they can turn into a demon or a beast. But you are still powerful, Lisanna. You can take these clowns out."

Lisanna shook her head, bumping his back with hers hard. She didn't believe any of that, but she wasn't about to pity herself. This wasn't the time for that. "Shut up, Bixlow! Quit acting so stupid! I'm not going to let you try to break that barrier." Lisanna looked up, trying to see if there was a way for them to escape from the top. _If I had my magic, I could transform my arms to wings and fly us out of here,_ she thought sourly to herself. Her breathing was heavy, knowing that what she was about to do was idiotic. She reached out her hand, her fingers grazing the sand barrier. As they did, the barrier ripped the skin and she screamed out. She held her injured hand to her chest for a moment, the blood dripping down her hand and over her wrist.

"What the hell did you just do?"

Lisanna knew very well that people were overprotective of her. They treated her like a china doll. She didn't like it. Even though everyone thought she had died, she knew she hadn't. She was just living in Edolas. She was much happier now in Earthland, but people still treated her like she was some fragile creature. She could handle a little bit of pain. That was why Bixlow's words angered her so much, and she snapped. " _Dammit_! I can't just stand here. I needed to make sure that what I thought was right. And it was. That sand will rip your body to shreds. So if you go through it, Bixlow, I'm going right after you."

Bixlow's eyes were wide as he looked down at the smaller girl. "You can't-"

"Just watch me." She turned so she was facing him head on now. She had one eye closed and the other was aching, but she still managed a glare. "What makes my life more important than yours, Bixlow?" She didn't leave him any time to answer that question. "I am not some fragile little princess. I am a Fairy Tail wizard and my life is no more important than yours or Cana's or Erza's or anyone's!" She closed both of her eyes now, tears streaming down her cheeks. She wasn't sure if it was from the sand or her own words. "We are all equals in Fairy Tail. My life is equal to yours, Bixlow. Like everyone else, I am willing to die to save my family and my friends. So stop protecting me so much. Stop treating me like I could break! Worry more about yourself, will you?" Her chest was rising and falling rapidly by the end, her legs shaking so much she started to lose balance.

Bixlow caught her when she fell over, falling to his own knees. Lisanna was gripping his shirt tightly, mad at herself for falling over and mad at him for catching her. She didn't want people to think she was some little damsel in distress, but that was exactly what she looked like now. "You worry about yourself, too," Bixlow said. Lisanna didn't dare look up at him, afraid of the expression his face would hold. "Your magic energy is low. This barrier is sucking it out of you. Me, too. I'm also very weak. So take it easy, yeah?" He paused. "Even if you don't want me to protect you, I still will. You're my nakama. And I protect all of my nakama."

Lisanna wanted to cry again, and she would have if the barrier didn't dissolve around them. She let go of Bixlow's shirt, looking around to see the five Sabertooth wizards on the ground. Erza was standing over one of them, dressed in her Purgatory Armor. Bixlow immediately reached for his helmet and put it back on. "Erza!" Lisanna breathed, feeling a lot better now that the barrier was destroyed.

Erza was frowning. "Have either of you seen Natsu?"

A sinking feeling welled up in Lisanna's chest as she shook her head. "I didn't even know he was here."

"Damn it," Erza swore, looking around. A lot of Fairy Tail mages were down and out, but the same amount (if not more) of Sabertooth's mages were also out. However, Lisanna didn't see any of their strongest members. She knew they must have still been in the battle. She wondered if anyone going against one of them was okay. Especially those twin dragon slayers. And Rufus and Minerva were strong mages, too. This entire, never-ending night was exhausting. It was barely after midnight and so much of the guild hall was already destroyed. "If you see him," Erza said, "tell him to come find me."

Lisanna nodded. She watched as Erza made her way into the battle. She was still feeling so weak that she couldn't stand up. She couldn't even move from Bixlow's lap, and he seemed too weak to move away from her, either. "Mira...Big brother..." she whispered, looking up at the smoke-covered sky. "Stay safe."

* * *

"Just give up. You can't catch a shadow."

Gajeel was completely out of breath. On the other hand, Rogue seemed perfectly fine. His body was surrounded by shadows and he hovered over the ground. Gajeel knew that it was impossible to catch him in that form, even with his Iron Dragon Slayer magic. His Dragon Force protected him from a lot of Rogue's blows, but he was starting to feel the strain of the battle. Every part of his body was aching. He hoped that Levy was okay and she got herself to safety. Gajeel gritted his teeth, a low growl forming in his throat.

Rogue was laughing. His eyes were the same red as Gajeel's, but his were much more sinister. His forehead was covered in scales. Two dragon slayers using their Dragon Force magic. Gajeel usually had control over his, but he didn't know how much longer he could keep it up. His magic energy was running dangerously low. "Now how about you tell me where Natsu Dragneel is?" Rogue grinned, his teeth pointed like fangs.

Gajeel had no idea what they wanted with Natsu and why they were going to such extremes to find him. Was someone paying them? Or was it something else? At this rate, a war would start. It was the same with Phantom, Gajeel knew too well. Gajeel didn't think the little pyro was worth all of this.

"Iron Dragon Sword!" But Gajeel's attack was easily dodged by Rogue. "Shit." He was so fast that Gajeel didn't even see him come up behind him and attack.

Gajeel flew forward, his palms and knees scraping against the pavement as he tried to stop the force. They ached and he could feel the blood dripping down his legs, but he wasn't phased by it. He had a large slash on his collar bone, too, from a previous attack from Rogue. He knew the dragons of Sabertooth were strong, but he didn't think they were _this_ strong.

Rogue laughed. "If only there was some iron around. Maybe then you'd be at a little advantage. Being night and all, there aren't any shadows I can eat."

Gajeel stood shakily. His legs were a bit wobbly and his hair was all over the place. His shirt was ripped. He wouldn't be able to land a single hit until Rogue got out of those shadows and exposed himself. Gajeel tried to think about how he could get him to do that, but the action made his head ache. He had hit it a couple times when knocked back by one of those shadow attacks.

"If you hadn't sent your little girlfriend away, she would be able to conjure up some iron for you, wouldn't she?" Rogue was mocking him. Gajeel knew he was just trying to get under his skin, but it was hard to not get pissed off when Levy was brought into this. She had nothing to do with this battle. "That's too bad. It would have been fun taking out the both of you. Or! Taking her out first and seeing your face as she fell. Now that would have been a treat!"

Gajeel clenched his fists until his arms were shaking.

"She was such a little thing, it would have been too easy to take her out. I could even kill her with one blow if I pleased, I think." Rogue's words were getting to Gajeel, but he tried not to show it. He knew that was just what Rogue wanted.

Gajeel also knew that Rogue was wide open for an attack. He wasn't dissolved in a shadow anymore, but Gajeel's magic energy level was so low that he couldn't pull off an Iron Dragon Roar if he tried. He _needed_ iron.

As if reading his mind, a block of iron fell in front of him. But not just a block, it was the word _IRON_ made out of iron. Gajeel's eyes were wide and even Rogue looked put off. "Levy." He looked up and saw Levy being held by Pantherlily. She was smiling down at Gajeel, but he could see that she was bruised and bloody. Wendy was unconscious next to her, being held by Carla. Levy's small hands were shaking. As glad as he was that Lily found her, he couldn't help but worry. Which one of those Sabertooth losers did she get caught up with? He leaned down and bit into the iron.

"I found these three in a battle against Minerva," Lily said and Gajeel's heart practically stopped. Minerva was the strongest female mage Sabertooth had. He heard many rumors about the purple haired woman. One was circling around that she was actually a demon. He wasn't sure even he could take her on. Maybe Erza, but certainly not alone. As much as he hated to admit it, Sabertooth had some very strong mages under their belt. "Wendy is hurt. Levy was doing her best to hold her off, but I'm bringing her to safety now."

Gajeel nodded, wiping his mouth when he finished the iron. He felt more charged already and he grinned, his Dragon Force getting stronger, his iron armor getting thicker. Sure, it had everything to do with the iron he just ate, but he wondered if he felt as charged as he did because it was _Levy's_ iron.

"Gajeel!" Levy called.

He looked up again. Lily and Carla were already flying away.

"I believe in you! Come back in one piece, alright?"

Gajeel's fists were clenched, but he was no long shaking. His open wounds were covered by the new layer of iron. They still hurt, but he was so elated from the iron he just ate that he couldn't care less. He turned back to Rogue who had disappeared into the shadows again. Rogue landed a few blows on Gajeel, making him realize that this wasn't the way to fight this shadow dragon slayer. He had to go about it differently or he would be defeated all over again.

Gajeel followed Rogue's movements with his eyes, staying in one place. He was so fast that Gajeel's smell couldn't get a gold of him.

"Eat all the iron you want," Roque said. "You still can't win!"

Gajeel let his eyes fall closed. Maybe if he could _listen_ , find the place where Rogues voice was coming from, then maybe he could land an attack. If he could do that much, Gajeel knew that he would easily be able to defeat Rogue. He let his fists relax, taking three deep breaths. He needed to focus all of his concentration on listening for an opening.

Luckily for him, Rogue didn't stop talking. "Tell me where Natsu is and I'll leave you and your girlfriend alone. We just want him, nothing more. Don't tell me and I'll kill both your girl and your exceed." Gajeel didn't know much about Gajeel, but he knew enough to know that the shadow dragon slayer loved his own exceed more than anything in the world. That was how Gajeel knew he was just bluffing. "Letting your guard down," Rogue said, a dark chuckle leaving his lips. "Number one mistake in battle."

" _Gihi,_ " Gajeel chuckled, opening his eyes. "Gotcha. Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel's iron club hit Rogue in the gut and he fell out of the shadows. Gajeel was grinning. "I ain't the one with his guard down," he said, standing over Rogue. Red eyes met red. "Iron Dragon," he began, breathing in.

Rogue, knowing what he was doing, stood up and copied, "Shadow Dragon..."

"Roar!" shouted Gajeel, the iron roar attack leaving his mouth.

"Roar!" shouted Rogue, his own equally powerful attack hitting Gajeel's.

The two colliding caused a huge explosion that knocked both Gajeel and Rogue back, shattering both mage's Dragon Force magic.

* * *

Natsu pushed through the crowd, hitting every Sabertooth mage he saw with fire. His teeth were gritted together, the veins in his forehead popping. He never felt anger like this bother. The Fairy Tail guild hall was in shambles. So many members were on the floor. He passed Cana and Macao, unconscious alongside a couple of Sabertooth mages. Erza was nowhere to be found. That made him Fairy Tail's most powerful mage, and he was going to take them down no matter what he had to destroy in the process. These Sabertooth bastards would pay for it, he thought bitterly. Somewhere in the crowd he lost Lucy. He didn't look back for her because, well, he thought she was still right behind him. He was so focused on finding those twin dragons that he didn't even think Lucy wasn't behind him anymore.

"Come out!" he screamed. "Come out an face me, you cowards!" A low growl was rising in Natsu's throat. Fire hovered over both of his hands. It was hot as his boiling anger.

"Well, well, well, lookie here." One of Sabertooth's dragon slayers - the white dragon slayer Sting - jumped down from a rooftop, landing right in front of Natsu. He was grinning and easily dodged one of Natsu's punches. "Oh how I love it when the prey comes waltzing right into the lion's den. It's so much less work for me."

Natsu growled, throwing a second punch that Sting also dodged. It pissed him off that Sting looked _so damn smug_. "What the hell are you talking about?" Another punch followed by another doge. "What the hell do you want from Fairy Tail?" he demanded. Natsu was breathing heavily.

Sting laughed. "Why you of course."

"Hey, Lucy, can you-" But when Natsu turned back, she wasn't there. Natsu's eyes were wide and Sting was laughing at him, Natsu's hands clenched into fists.

"Is that her name?" Sting asked. When Natsu looked back at him, the blond mage had a grin spread across his face. "That reminds me. Yukino!" Natsu blinked as a young woman with short white hair and a poncho made out of fur that went to her ankles stepped out of the shadows. Her eyes reminded Natsu so much of Lucy's, startling him a bit. "Go find Lucy," Sting ordered. "Blonde, huge bust, the weakest link of all of Fairy Tail...Find her, Yukino, and don't hold back. Kill her."

Yukino nodded. "Yes, Master." And she disappeared back into the shadows.

Natsu felt a rage that he had never felt before in his life. His entire body began to boil and shake. "You so much as lay a finger on Lucy and I'll burn you to a crisp!" It felt as though his entire body was on fire. And maybe it was. He didn't care. Natsu screamed. _"Lucy!"_

Sting, however, was still laughing. "Looks like the mighty Salamander has a weakness. Hope the last thing you said to your little girlfriend was good because you won't get to say anything to her again." Sting was knocked off of his feet by one of Natsu's punches. Flames were soaring all around him and Natsu looked truly evil. Sting didn't seem affected, however, keeping his grin in tact. "I doubt she can hold her own over my Yukino for five minutes." He brushed the ash off of his jaw where Natsu punched him, light surrounding him as his Dragon Force magic took over. "Unlike you, my Dragon Force is under control. The only way to get to your little girlfriend is to get through me first, but you should know that no one's survived a battle with me. No matter what you do, you will be captured. I will take you back to Sabertooth."

Natsu didn't hear most of what Sting said. He didn't care what they wanted with him. In fact, they could have him if they wanted. He just wanted - no, _needed_ \- them to let Lucy go. She was innocent in all of this, after all. Natsu didn't know this Yukino person, but she sure looked strong and Lucy was pretty weak as it was. It was an unfair fight and Natsu wanted to kill Sting. "Don't you dare hurt Lucy!" he screamed. "Fire Dragon Wing Attack!"

Sting was hit head on by the attack, stumbling back. He didn't, however, lose his footing. "I am the master of Sabertooth and a third generation White Dragon Slayer. You stand no chance against me. Though I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see the dragon's rage you have boiling through your veins."

Natsu could hardly breathe. His ears were ringing and the world was spinning around him. He was being fueled by his anger and his anger was being fueled with the knowledge that Lucy was going to be fighting with someone who was given an order to kill her. Even though Natsu didn't know Lucy for very long, the idea of her dying was too much for him to handle. She was his friend. She was...She was precious to him, and he wasn't going to let some bastard take her from him.

Happy wasn't with him anymore, either, and he felt a little better knowing he was probably with Lucy. Happy could fly her to safety...Hopefully.

Scales formed and disappeared on Natsu's knuckles. His red eye was glowing in the midst of the fire surrounding him. His hair was blowing in the hot wind that the fire caused. Natsu knew he had to control himself, but it was becoming so hard. When he was angry like this, there wasn't any stopping him. His rage fueled his uncontrollable power. His rage made him act on his own without a single thought or care, much like that of a real dragon. When Natsu became enraged like this, his mind was taken over and he could think of nothing else but destroying everything around him.

But now, even though he was more enraged than ever before, he could see the image of Lucy smiling as she showed him her guild mark the night they both escaped the mansion. And that image was what would keep him from losing touch with his humanity.

* * *

Lucy stopped short. She could have sworn she just heard someone screaming her name. Not long ago, she was separated from Natsu. She had Happy flying alongside her, both searching for the pink haired mage.

"What is it, Lucy?" Happy asked when he noticed Lucy stopped walking. "Did you see something?"

Lucy blinked. "No...I just thought I heard my name." She shook her head. She must have been hearing things. She also thought it was Natsu's voice, but it was too far away for her to tell. Lucy bumped into Lisanna while she was walking and apparently Erza was out there somewhere looking for Natsu. Lucy had no idea why, but knowing that Erza was out there somewhere put Lucy a bit at ease.

"Maybe it was Natsu," Happy said, his ears perking up. After a pause, he let out a sad breath. "I can't hear him over all this commotion."

Lucy rubbed her eye, yawning. She was still so exhausted. While she got some of her magic energy back, her body was screaming at her for not being in bed. She knew she should have just stayed behind. She wasn't a strong mage. But she couldn't just sit back while everyone in Fairy Tail fought with their lives for their friends and their guild. She was a Fairy Tail mage now and she was going to fight like one, no matter how weak and tired she was feeling. Lucy stopped when she turned back in front of her and saw a young woman standing in front of her.

"Are you Lucy?" she asked, her voice soft as a song and as soothing as one.

Lucy didn't recognize her, so she was sure this woman was from the Sabertooth guild. Lucy frowned, tensing. "Yes," she said. "Who are you?"

"Careful, Lucy!" Happy warned. "She's Yukino from the Sabertooth guild. She's tough. I heard she's really close with the guild master!"

Lucy's brown eyes were wide as she watched the woman pull out two golden keys, holding them between her fingers. Lucy's heart fell down to her feet. "You're a celestial mage?" she asked. The woman didn't say anything. Aside from her mother, Lucy had never met another celestial mage in person before. She heard of the famous ones like Karen Lilica, but she never thought she would be in a battle with one.

"Then you should know that we celestial mages can never go back on our words." Her voice was so soft and calm that Lucy barely heard her at all. The wind blew her poncho around her legs. There was something hot in the air and Lucy could feel the sweat forming on the back of her neck. "I gave my word to the master. And I will not let him down." Lucy had no idea what she was talking about, but she didn't have time to ask. "Open! Gate of the Paired Fish! Gate of the Heavenly Scales! Pisces! Libra!" And with the sound of a gong, two celestial spirits appeared. One was a woman with fabric over her mouth. She had dark skin and hair and was balancing on one foot. Libra. The other was huge. Lucy's eyes widened and she watched two giant fish flying around Yukino.

"Fish!" Happy exclaimed, drool falling out of his mouth.

Lucy ignored Happy, reaching for her gate key ring. She didn't have a lot of time to think about who to send out, but Yukino was strong enough to have two zodiac spirits out at once. Lucy didn't know if she could even hold two silver gates open at once. But if there was a time to find out, now would be it. She wanted to summon Aquarius, but there wasn't any water around, and she knew that if she did, Aquarius would try to attack Lucy, too. So she reached for Loke's key instead, knowing he was just as strong - if not stronger - than Aquarius. She was breathing heavily, her hands shaking as she held up Loke's key and Taurus'. "Open! Gate of the Lion! Gate of the Golden Bull! Loke! T-T..." she fell onto one knee and Happy flew over to ask if she was okay. She was feeling so weak. One eye closed, she finished her summon, "Taurus!"

Both spirits came through the gate, standing in front of Lucy. Lucy's outstretched arm was shaking uncontrollably. Loke and Taurus noticed because they both sent her worried looks. "Lucy!" Loke exclaimed, running over to her and helping her stand. "You're still weak from earlier. What are you doing summoning two zodiacs at the same time?"

"He's right Luuuucy-chan."

Lucy looked up at her spirits, shakily standing up with a lot of help from Loke who let her lean on him as she did. "I didn't...have a choice. I'm sorry."

Loke frowned. He let go of Lucy and turned to Yukino, Pisces, and Libra. Taurus did the same, standing in an offense position. Lucy was panting and Happy was patting her head, telling her that she should send them back if she's feeling that weak.

"How dare you force a fellow celestial maiden into a battle when she's this weak," Loke said, his voice menacing. "You are a disgrace to the celestial world. You should have respect for your fellow mages."

"I should also follow up on my word," Yukino defended. She didn't look at all phased. She was standing straight and tall. It was so obvious who was going to win this battle, but Lucy knew that she had to at least try. "I promised my master I would destroy this girl. Killing her would give us a better shot at taking the dragon."

Lucy's heart began to race. She was glad Happy was there to ask the one question she, too, wanted to know the answer to, "What do you want with Natsu?"

"I do not see a problem in telling you," she said as Libra shifted onto the other foot. The scales she had in her hands were glinting in the light of a nearby fire. "The dragon sees things. Master thinks he has all the answers we need to understand where the dragons disappeared to."

Lucy began to wobble, but her eyes never left Yukino. "You won't get Natsu," she said and Happy flew over to her to try to help her balance. Her head was spinning and she knew that her weakness was making Loke and Taurus weak, too. "He's strong. Whether you kill me or not, you will never tame him. That dragon can never be tamed." She was smiling as she fell to her knees. "I am so sorry," she said to her spirits. "I'm sorry I'm too weak to allow you to be strong."

"Lucy," Loke interrupted. "You're weak right now, yes, but I can and will fight for you. Your body may be weak but your love for your spirits is strong. That makes us strong." He looked back at her and grinned. Lucy couldn't help but feel a bit relaxed. "So don't you worry. We'll protect you. Don't summon another spirit for a while. You need to regain your strength before using too much of it kills you. I can come here willingly. Probably because the bond of our love is so strong. So you do not have to worry. You should send Taurus back."

"But-"

"Please," Loke begged.

Hand shaking, she held out Taurus' key and forced the closure of the gate. She was out of breath, the key falling to the ground. She reached for it, but her vision was starting to fade. She was seeing spots.

"There is no way you can take on two of my zodiac spirits. Even if you are Leo, king of the zodiac," Yukino said. Her voice was still so calm. She sounded almost like a robot to Lucy.

Lucy heard Loke chuckle. "You underestimate my power, then. I am not being fueled off of Lucy's magic energy. I'm here of my own accord now. I am still connected to her because she is the mage I have a contract with, but my strength is mine and I will use it to protect Lucy."

Yukino chuckled. "Pisces, Libra," she commanded, pointing to Loke. "You know what you must do."

Attacks shot from both sides. Lucy couldn't tell who was winning, but she prayed for Loke to be all right. No, celestial spirits couldn't die, but she didn't want him to get hurt in battle for her. Loke was a pro at dodging the attacks, but one shot right in the direction of Happy. Happy stood like a deer in headlights, his eyes wide. "Happy!" Lucy shouted. She used the last of her strength to stand up and grab onto Happy, shielding him from Libra's attack. It hit her right in the middle of her back and she screamed, shaking. The attack ripped open her shirt and pierced her skin, hot liquid dripping down her backside. It felt like a thousand hot knives. Happy was looking up at her with tears in his eyes.

"Lucy..." he started, sniffling. "Why did you do that? I was going to fly away!"

Lucy opened up one eye. "You weren't." Happy was silent and Lucy knew that she was right. "As annoying as you are, Happy, you're my friend, too. And I know Natsu would be really sad if you got hurt."

Tears streamed down Happy's blue face. "But he'll also be sad that you're hurt now, Lucy! You shouldn't have done that for me!"

Lucy smiled down at the feline, tears rolling down her own cheeks. "I wanted to...Happy."

The battle behind her was still going on, and it seemed that no one noticed what happened to Lucy. She knew that the ground around her was starting to fill with blood. Her blood. The idea made her feel queasy and her grip on Happy loosened a little. It was then that he noticed the wound. "Lucy! Lucy, you're hurt. You have to stop. You have to go to the..." He was going to say infirmary, but there wasn't anything left of the guild hall, meaning there was no infirmary. "I'm sure Porlyusica will make an exception and heal you! Lucy!"

Happy's shouts got Loke's attention and he was immediately by her side. "She's still alive," he said, which relieved Happy. "She's just collapsed from exhaustion and maybe from the blood loss." Loke's hands were shaking. Libra and Pisces stopped their attacks too even though Yukino tried to tell them to continue. "Yukino," he started, standing up. He looked infuriated. "Do not force my friends to attack this girl any longer. Celestial spirits never wish to kill in battles. You have injured her enough. Now leave. Lucy has lost the fight. She is no longer able to use her magic. You have won."

He had hoped his words would give her the hint, but she seemed stubborn. "I cannot disappoint Sting! I-I mean, Master. He told me to kill the girl. To enrage Natsu, I have to do it. To make Master proud of me, I have to do it..." She clutched her fist over her heart, tears forming in her eyes.

Loke frowned. "Happy," he started, "find Natsu. Tell him what happened. I'll keep an eye on Lucy until then, but I'm starting to fade out of this world now that Lucy is no longer conscious." Happy nodded and flew off to search for Natsu. "I do not believe you are a bad person, Yukino. You are just misguided. I don't think you ever planned on actually killing Lucy. But you winning the fight should be enough to satisfy Sting Euciffle."

Yukino's brown eyes widened at the mention of Sting's name. But then she looked down at the ground and sent Pisces and Libra back into the spirit world. Her hand was shaking and Loke could tell that she was afraid of what would happen if Sting found out about what happened.

"Even if he gets mad," Loke said, making Yukino look up at him, "We in the celestial spirit world will remember that you spared her life."

Yukino backed away until she was in the shadows and out of sight. There was still a battle going on, but it seemed that it would come to an end soon. The sun was starting to rise on the horizon and Loke leaned down next to Lucy. His image was fading, and he was fighting with all of his strength to stay in this world just a little longer. Until Natsu came to help her, anyway. "Hang in there, Lucy," he said, brushing her bangs out of her face. "Everything will be okay now."

* * *

No one knew how many hours went by. A few people were still in battle, but most were out. Rogue and Gajeel took each other out, Mirajane and Freed took out the god slayer, but they were both beat up so badly that they had to lean against each other to keep from falling over. Mirajane's hand was wrapped around Freed's in a loose embrace. Bixlow and Lisanna were laying next to each other. Both were conscious, but both were unable to fight any longer. Elfman cradled Evergreen on his lap, tapping her face to try to wake her up. The Sabertooth mage Rufus was on the ground beside them, defeated. Erza was injured, but she was still able to fight. Minerva and Yukino were nowhere to be found no matter how much Erza searched for them. It seemed like the battle was finally ending, but little did the injured mages know that this war was so far from over. Sting and Natsu were still battling each other. Natsu was enraged as ever and Sting was enjoying every hit he took and dodged. But it looked like this attack ended in a draw.

"Natsu! Natsu!" Happy screamed, tears falling from his eyes. "Natsu!"

"Happy? What's happened?"

Happy looked down at the person who was talking to him and he saw Erza. She was in her Japanese Cloth Armor, breathing heavily. She had a gash on the side of her arm, but she still looked capable enough to fight if she needed to. Happy just cried more when he saw her. "Oh, Erza!" he flew into her chest and hugged her. "It's Lucy. She was in a fight with the celestial lady from Sabertooth and she lost, but she got really hurt. She protected me and got hurt!"

Ezra's dark purple eyes were wide. "What do you mean she's hurt? Where is she now?" she demanded.

"I can take you," Happy said, pulling away from Erza's chest. "But Natsu has to know. I have to find Natsu!"

"We will find him," Erza said slowly, trying to comfort the distressed feline. "Can you take me to Lucy, please? We need to get her help if she's hurt that badly."

"Erza." That voice wasn't Happy's. Both she and Happy turned in the direction of the hoarse voice. Walking towards them was Natsu. He had Lucy in his arms, blood dripping onto the floor with each step he took. Erza couldn't tell if it was his blood or Lucy's. As he came closer, Erza noticed something. It was only for a little moment, but Natsu looked...normal. No horns, no scales, no red eye...Just Natsu. Once she blinked, however, all the dragon features were back and she was sure it was just an illusion her brain cooked up for her. He was limping and he looked beat up himself. Erza hadn't seen him for the entire night, but she was sure he got into a battle with one of the twin dragons. He refused to let Erza take Lucy from him. "I'll carry her," he said, avoiding eye contact. "She needs to see someone. She has a really bad wound on her back."

"Natsu!" Happy shouted, sniffling. "How did you find her? What happened?"

Natsu looked up at Happy, but he was frowning still. "Loke found me. I was fighting Sting. Neither of us was winning or losing. But Loke used his bright magic and I was able to escape," he explained quickly. "This isn't over," he stated, tightening his grip around Lucy. "Once they've regained their strength, they're going to come back. And they might attack us again." Erza could tell that Natsu was feeling guilty about everything that happened over that one night. "But Lucy...She seems really weak. I don't sense any magic coming from her at all. _Please...Help her._ "

"Natsu..." Erza started when she saw the tears rolling down his cheeks. His teeth were gritted, so she knew that he was angry and sad at the same time. She had only seen him cry one other time, and that was when they were kids. Ever since his Dragon Force started to take over him, he never cried. But here he was, bawling his eyes out like a child who just got a needle at the doctor's.

"Please," he begged again, his eyes bloodshot when he looked at Erza. "I don't want someone else I care for to leave me too."

Erza let out a breath, nodding once. "Sure. Take her to Porlyusica. She should be able to help her get her magic energy back." Erza would have offered to carry her for him, but she knew that Natsu wouldn't allow that. She was acting like a possessive child.

He cleared his throat, blinking out the last of his tears. "When they come back, I'm going to be the one to fight Sting. He tried to kill Lucy. That is something I can't forgive."

Natsu started to walk in the direction of Porlyusica's home when Erza spoke up. "Natsu," she called and he stopped. He didn't turn around to look at her, though. Happy was flying beside them, keeping his eyes on Lucy. "You love Lucy. Don't you?"

Natsu's shoulders tensed. He grunted an inaudible response before he took off running. Erza watched after him with a small smile on her face. She didn't know if her observation was true or not, but if she meant enough to Natsu to make him cry, he must have felt strongly about her. The last he cried was when he was a child and was abandoned by Igneel. Not just anyone could make the fire mage break down.

Erza turned in the other direction, stopping short when she saw Jellal walking towards her. She let out a breath of relief, glad to see it wasn't one of the Sabertooth mages. They were all starting to flee and Fairy Tail members were starting to wake up, their magic energy beginning to replenish itself. "What are you still doing here?" she asked, looking around to make sure no one would see him. If they did, he would get arrested again, and Erza didn't think she could watch him get arrested a second time.

"Relax," he said, putting his hands up in front of him. "I'm leaving soon. I just had to make sure you were okay, Erza. The battle here last night was really bad. I saw a lot of people getting hurt."

Erza nodded once. "Well, I'm fine. In fact, I'm one of the only Fairy Tail members left standing."

His brown eyes shot to the gash on her arm and his frown deepened. "But you are hurt."

"Compared to others, I barely have a scratch," she said, waving it off. Erza was never one to care much about herself. She was always looking out for others and for the members of Fairy Tail. She wasn't the strongest mage in Fairy Tail just because she was strong. She truly cared for all of those people like they were family, and she was able to easily forgive Jellal for everything that happened in the past. She had a truly kind heart that she hid behind a set of armor, afraid of getting it broken once more. And the man who broke it - and the man who still held it - was standing right in front of her.

Jellal didn't seem satisfied with that answer, but he didn't push her. "I don't know when we'll be seeing each other again, Erza. I know I bring you information, but it can be a month or it can be a year."

Erza looked away from him. She wished he would shut up. His words were only hurting her more. She wished she had her armor, but instead she was revealed in her Japanese Cloth Armor. Her heart was unprotected, delicate as a glass figurine. And he was dangling it over a cliff by a string. "I know," she managed to say. She wished she could ask him to stay. But she knew that he couldn't. He lied about having a fiancee right before they were going to share their first kiss. It was clear that he didn't want to be with her the way she wanted to be with him.

"Erza, I," he started. Deciding against those words (whatever they were), he shook his head. He let out a breath, clenching and unclenching his right fist.

"What..?" Erza prompted when he didn't say anything for a long while.

Jellal shook his head. "I shouldn't say. It is much too selfish of me."

"I won't force you to speak, Jellal," Erza said, standing up straight. She was able to put on a facade so well that she even scared herself sometimes. "But if you come to regret not saying whatever this is, don't blame it on m-"

"Ask me to stay," he blurted out. Erza stood there, stunned, eyes wide. Jellal shook his head, his blue hair falling over his eyes. "Because if you ask me to stay, I will. Meredy and Ultear, too. We won't stay in Magnolia, but we can stay close by. That way I can see you and-"

Now it was Erza's turn to interrupt him, "I cannot ask that of you, Jellal, even if I want to. Staying here puts you at risk of getting arrested. Ultear and Meredy, too. I do not wish to be responsible for that if it were to happen." Her heart was clenching in her chest, screaming at her brain that she should have told him to stay with her forever. Her posture faltered, just for a moment, when she saw the upset look on his face. "So, no, I will not ask you to stay." The pain in her chest was deeper than any blow she received from a mage. It hurt a thousand times more, and she knew it would probably never go away.

Jellal nodded once. "As you wish," he said, taking a step away from her. "I'll see you again some day, Erza. I promise you that." He offered her a smile, but she knew that it was fake. "Until then, take care of yourself." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he decided against it and decided to just turn around and walk out of the town, his eyes on the ground.

Erza watched him leave until he was out of sight. Then she couldn't take it anymore. She needed to be alone right now. She changed back into her Heart Kreutz armor and ran back to her apartment. When she got there, she closed the door behind her, sliding down it and hugging her knees to her chest. The tears fall from her eyes before she can stop them and, before she knew it, she was sobbing. She hit the door behind her. She knew she made the right decision, but she wished she told him to stay. She wanted him to be around more. She saw him for an hour every few months. And while that hour made her happy, the other hundreds of hours left an ache in her chest.

Her sobs filled the silence of her empty apartment. She held onto her head, begging herself to stop crying. Jellal, the only person who could make her cry, was her one weakness. Just as Natsu's weaknesses were the two things that made him cry: Igneel and Lucy.

* * *

When Lucy woke up, she was in her apartment. Her head was killing her and she had this awful pain in her back that left her hissing when she tried to sit up. Her entire body felt like it was weighed down to the bed. She had never felt so weak and achy in her entire life. She remembered protecting Happy and getting hit with Libra's attack. After that, a lot of things are blurry.

"You shouldn't try to get up."

Lucy turned her head to the door, seeing Happy fly into the room and land on her bed. "Porlyusica said it'll take a while for you to get all of your magic energy back and that you'll be really sore until you do. She said it could take weeks."

Lucy let out a sigh. "How did I...get here?"

"Natsu brought you back."

Lucy was about to ask where Natsu was when her question was answered for her. Natsu walked into the room, his eyes wide. "You're awake!" he exclaimed, running over to the bed. When he sat down, however, the movement made her ache all over again and she groaned. "Oops, sorry." He offered her a small smile. "Are you hungry? You must be hungry. It's been three days since the battle. Should I get you some food? They've started rebuilding the guild hall already, it's looking good."

As Natsu kept babbling on about stuff Lucy didn't particularly listen to, she was smiling. She wondered if Natsu and Happy stayed here with her these three days, waiting to see if she would be okay. Her heart felt warm in her chest at the idea that they did. For the first time since her mother died, Lucy felt loved. She felt warm and happy and she didn't want this feeling to leave. Though she could do without the pain shooting throughout her body.

"Oh! And everyone else has been healing up nicely. Gajeel got beat up pretty bad. Though he deserves it for being such an assh-"

Natsu stopped short when Lucy reached out from under the covered and grabbed a hold of his hand with hers. It hurt like a bitch to move her arm, but she was glad she did. She smiled up at him, a couple tears spilling from her eyes. She squeezed his hand with the little strength she had. "Thank you. Both of you," she said and Happy started to cry again. "I'm so happy."

"Lucy, I want to say thank you too," Happy said. "For saving my life out there."

She chuckled softly, closing her eyes as the tiredness began to take over again. "Anytime." She didn't take her hand from Natsu's and she felt his wrap back around hers. She smiled as her heart soared. "Don't go just yet," she said, her eyes still closed. Sleep was coming and it was coming fast. "Hold on to me for just a little longer."


	9. The Princess's Locket

**Hello, everyone! Phew, here's another chapter. I'm pretty excited about this one, heh! ^.^ It's super long too, so I hope you don't get bored! It's not as long as the previous chapter, but still, hehe. (I'm actually really enjoying writing up little scenes for the background characters a lot, it's fun!) I hope the length makes up for the fact that I haven't updated in a while. Anyway, I want to take this little space up here to say thanks a million for all the reviews! They really make me smile ear to ear like an idiot! I hope this chapter is quality, but I do apologize for any typos or slight grammatical errors seeing as this fic is essentially a first draft and no one's first draft is perfect, right? Heh. I'm also sorry for some misinformation I might have about the magical abilities. I have done research and watched the anime and read the manga, but I know it's not perfect, aha. I tend to have everything over exaggerated for the sake of angst and drama as well and I'm sorry if that bothers anyone.**

 **By the way, I just want to say that my updates may be slower than I would like for a little while. These chapters range from 8,000 to 10,000 words each which is, well, a lot of typing! Anyway, I have a lump on my wrist and it hurts when I type sometimes, so sometimes I need to take breaks from writing this (Ugh). I just wanted you all to know I'm sorry that I'm not keeping to the update schedule.**

 **Okay, I'm going to stop blabbering, so please enjoy this chapter and thank you again for all your kind words! It feels so nice that people enjoy my story and look forward to reading more!**

 **Disclaimer: Yeah, these characters aren't mine.**

 **Warning: Mild abuse.**

* * *

"Ow! What are you doing? Quit poking me, shrimp!"

"Be quiet, I was fixing a bandage that was falling off. Do you want to get an infection?"

Though the Fairy Tail guild hall was in shambles, everyone was gathered there like always. The hob requests board went back up and Master Makarov was taking requests. Mirajane was back behind the counter taking orders with help from Lisanna. Both girls were pretty banged up, but, then again, so was everyone in Fairy Tail. Cana, among others, didn't return to the guild hall yet. They were still recovering from their injuries. Gray and Juvia came back two days ago and heard about the attack from Sabertooth then. They immediately felt guilty about not being there to help, so they volunteered themselves full time to help fix the hall.

However, it was a beautiful day and people still managed to smile and laugh with each other. Freed was sitting at the bar, chatting with Mirajane every chance he got. He was constantly thanking her for saving his ass against that god slayer many times, but Mirajane just smiled and told him it wasn't that big a deal.

Levy and Gajeel were always sitting close to each other, Levy acting like his personal nurse and changing his bandages. He had been seriously injured in his fight against the Shadow Dragon Slayer, Rogue. And even after he got that hurt, the fight ended in a draw. It hurt his ego, but he still managed to act like his old self, grunting and groaning at just about everything. He shared the occasional smile with Levy, though.

Wendy was perfectly better now. She was up and running about the hospital, using her healing magic on those with more serious injuries. She was working her little butt off with Porlyusica and Carla, but she had yet to share a single complaint. Lisanna offered to help them out some days when she wasn't helping with the guild hall. It wasn't easy seeing her nakama lying in those beds in pain. She saw Lucy in there the day after everything went down, but when she went back the next day, Lucy was gone. Porlyusica told her that Natsu took Lucy back home so she would be more comfortable when she woke up. Lisanna heard that Natsu stayed by her side for days and she wondered what made the celestial mage so special.

Lisanna noticed how close Freed would sit next to her sister. She also noticed how he would blush every time she smiled at him. She didn't know if she would tell her sister, though, because she knew that Mirajane had some sort of attachment to Laxus for reasons unbeknownst to Lisanna. During her break, the white haired mage sat at a picnic bench with Elfman. "Ever's still recovering," he said, staring down intently at a still full glass of beer that he ordered an hour ago. "It's been two weeks! And she's still not better..."

Though her brother wouldn't admit it, Lisanna knew very well that he had feelings for Evergreen. Everyone in the guild knew except for the two of them. Lisanna just wanted her brother to be happy, no matter who that was with. But Evergreen seemed to make him happy no matter how many times she referred to him as "dumbass."

Lisanna offered him a kind smile. Her short hair was parted in the middle and tied into pig-tails. There was never a time where Lisanna had long hair, and she wasn't sure she ever would. "Don't worry, brother Elf. She'll be okay." She didn't know if her words would have meant anything to him, but it was at least worth a try. "She's tough. I'm sure she'll be out and about in a few days."

"She _is_ the manliest of the women here."

Speaking of the Thunder Legion, neither Laxus nor Bixlow were anywhere to be found. Lisanna hadn't spoken to Bixlow since that night she snapped at him. She wanted to apologize for taking her frustrations out on him, but every time she looked for him, he was nowhere to be found.

"Hey." The sound of a voice made both Elfman and Lisanna turn towards it. Gray leaned his hand on the side of the picnic table. He had on a colorful bandana and was missing his shirt. Lisanna wondered if he even knew it wasn't there. "Have either of you seen Erza?"

Lisanna blinked, exchanging a look with Elfman. "I haven't," she said, shaking her head. "To be honest, I don't know if I've seen her since the day Sabertooth attacked." She had asked her and Bixlow where Natsu was, and that was the last the transformation mage saw of her.

"I saw her around last week, but she just talked to Mira and left."

Gray let out a sigh. "Great. Alright, thanks anyway." And, with that, he walked away from the table. Juvia soon caught up with him, following after him like a lost puppy. Gray didn't seem to like it, but he didn't seem _as_ put off by it as he was before the two of them went on that long job together.

Lisanna hoped Erza was all right. She was never one not to be in the guild hall for long periods of time when she wasn't on a job. She was usually hands-on with everything the master did, so it _was_ a bit odd that no one seemed to know where she was. Erza was one who knew how to take care of herself, so Lisanna was sure she was just fine.

"Big brother?"

Elfman looked up from his glass, setting it down on the table and giving his little sister his full attention. "Mm?"

Lisanna opened her mouth and closed it again. She didn't know how to go about this. "Do you know if Natsu and Lucy are..." She trailed off, shrugging her shoulders. Her cheeks were red. What the hell was she doing? She sounded like an idiot, a child. "Are they together or something?"

Elfman shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know." But how could he know? He spent most of his time sneaking around and going on dates with Evergreen that he thought no one in the guild knew about when, in actuality, every single member knew. "You still have feelings for him?"

Lisanna shrugged. She honestly didn't know. She did have a childhood crush on him, yes, and she thought he was handsome, but she didn't know if it went further than that. But she wanted to know if he was seeing someone else before testing the waters. Lucy seemed like a really nice girl and Lisanna didn't want to hurt her or anything of the sort. Lisanna wasn't the type of person who would try to destroy someone else's happiness for her own. In fact, she cared more about the happiness of others than she did about the happiness of her own heart. "I don't know," she admitted. "Though I feel like I should talk to him. See where he stands with me."

"Well, here's your chance." Upon seeing his sister's confused look, Elfman pointed to the bar where Natsu was. He was leaning over as he talked to Mirajane. He had a crumpled up piece of paper in his hand.

Lisanna's breath caught in her throat. This was it. Lucy wasn't here this time. She was probably still recovering from her back injury. Now was her only chance. Slowly, she stood up and walked over to him, tapping him on the shoulder. He had been mid-sentence with Mirajane, but he stopped and turned at the feeling of the tap. "Oh, hey, Lisanna," he said. He didn't smile, he didn't wave. He just cocked his head to the side as he waited for her to talk to him. Natsu's exterior terrified Lisanna at first and, while it still did a little, she was used to it. The only thing that put her off was his red eye. Rumor had it that he could see things other people couldn't and that was why Sabertooth was after him. Everyone in Fairy Tail was on guard now, knowing that Sabertooth could strike again at any moment because they didn't actually get what they came here for.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute." She put her hands behind her back, rocking slowly from the balls of her feet to the heels. She had a kind smile spread across her face.

Natsu looked back at Mirajane for a quick moment before shrugging. "Sure." He stuffed the piece of paper he was holding in the pocket of his vest, tightening his scaly scarf around his neck. He stared at Lisanna, waiting for her to speak.

"Um," she stammered after bringing him to a spot where the two of them could be alone and out of ear shot. She even let out a nervous chuckle. "This is going to sound really weird." She paused, trying to find the right words in her head. If Natsu was getting impatient with her, he didn't show it and he didn't say anything about it. "I just wanted to know how you...feel about me," she said slowly, biting down on her bottom lip as she anxiously awaited his response.

Natsu blinked once. "You're my nakama, Lisanna. I care about you. Is that what you're asking me?"

Lisanna shook her head. "No. I mean, not really. It's just that I've had this crush on you since we were kids and I wanted to know if you felt the same way about me." She felt like she was just that again: a kid. She was nervous and embarrassed and she wanted to run away before he could answer. She prepared herself for a rejection, but she didn't want one. There was a little part of her that hoped he would say he felt the same. She started playing with the frayed end of one of the bandages wrapped around her left arm. That sand really did a number to her. She was covered in scratches all over and it took a week to get her eyes to stop burning.

Natsu was silent for a long time and Lisanna couldn't help but think a rejection would have been better than the silence. "Lisanna, I..." He let out a breath. "Maybe I did feel the same way once. When I was a kid and we would play with Happy. But I'm different now. I've grown up and so have you. I'm sorry, but I don't feel the same way."

"Because of Lucy." It wasn't a question; Lisanna was stating it as a fact.

Natsu's eyes widened, his cheeks turning pink as his hair, and he went into full defensive mode. "What? Why does everyone keep saying I have feelings for Lucy? That's crazy. I don't. I do not. No."

But it was so obvious from how quickly he was denying it and how much he repeated himself to Lisanna that she knew how he felt, even if he didn't himself. She smiled softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "Stop," she said to get him to stop saying 'no.' "It's okay. Thank you for telling me the truth, though, Natsu. I will always care deeply for you." She reached out to touch his hair but pulled away when her fingers grazed one of his horns. She offered him a smile, but he was frowning now. Was it that obvious how uncomfortable with his dragon appearance she was? "I hope we can hang out soon."

She didn't say anything more and she didn't listen to what Natsu said as she turned around and walked back behind the counter of the bar. She would work; that was how she would get her mind off of Natsu and forget that she was just rejected.

 _Lucy is one lucky girl,_ she thought as she wiped down the counter with a wet rag.

* * *

Gray was exhausted by the time lunch came. He stripped himself of most of his clothes during the day (he honest to God didn't remember when he did or where his clothes were) and yet he was still sweating like crazy. He felt disgusting and he wanted nothing more than to cool off. Juvia offered many, many times to cool him off, but Gray knew that would be so weird. Especially since she said it like: "Juvia will cool Gray-sama with her body! You can come inside Juvia, Gray-sama!"

A shiver ran down Gray's spine at the memory of that.

It wasn't that Juvia was a bad person. Gray didn't mind her weird habits like talking in the third person, and he usually found her innocently inappropriate phrasing to be quite cute. But that was what was so unsettling about the whole thing. He had asked her to accompany him on a job because he believed their magics complimented each other. And they did; they got the job done easily and Gray found it easy and enjoyable to work with her. Now that they were back at Fairy Tail, however, he still couldn't get used to her clinging onto him and declaring her love for him every five minutes. Erza had always told him to tell her flat out how he felt about her so as to not lead her on, but Gray didn't exactly _know_ how he felt about her. It was so complicated that every time he tried to sit down and figure it out, he would get a headache and give up. He didn't want to lead her on, but he didn't know what else to do. He didn't want to hurt her feelings.

So he decided to ask Erza about it. She would surely be able to give him some advice. When she wasn't being terrifying, Erza actually gave some of the best advice Gray had ever heard. However, Erza was nowhere to be found. He checked back at her apartment, too, but there had been no answer. He was a bit worried. He didn't know what happened during the attack, but he hoped Erza was okay. No one seemed to know why she wasn't hanging around with everyone else.

"Hey, popsicle brain!"

Gray rolled his eyes at the lame insult, knowing it came from none other than Natsu. No one else was stupid enough to come up with a lame name like that. He turned around and groaned when he saw Natsu walking over to him. "What do you want, pyro?"

Natsu stopped when he was right in front of Gray. He was shorter than the ice mage, but that never stopped him from trying to pick fights with him. This time, however, he didn't press his head to Gray's and start throwing insults. Even Gray was a little taken aback when he didn't. He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. It looked like it had gone to hell and back and Gray lifted his upper lip in disgust. "Lucy left this."

"So?"

"Read it."

Gray slowly too the paper from him and opened it the best he could. He could see Lucy's neat, loopy handwriting, but some of it looked like it faded from the amount of times the paper was crushed by that flame-for-brains idiot. It read: _Natsu, Happy, I'll be back tonight. If I'm not, definitely tomorrow. There's something I have to take care of, questions I need the answers to. And there is only one man who can answer them for me. Please don't worry about me. I've recovered all of my magic energy and my back only hurts a little. Please don't follow me. Lucy._

Gray blinked as he finished reading the words, handing the paper back to Natsu who snatched it and stuffed it right back in his vest pocket. "Do you know where she went?" Natsu asked. He seemed exasperated and Gray wondered if he went around asking the entire guild hall where she was.

"I can guess," Gray said, and when Natsu looked hopeful, he sighed. "If you trust her, then she'll be back. I think she may have gone back home. To ask her father some questions. She might be going to see her mother's grave, too, because that's where it is. Stop looking like such a lost puppy, will you? If she's not back tomorrow, I'll go with you to the mansion to get her back. Okay?"

That seemed to be reasonable for Natsu who nodded slowly. "I guess," he grumbled. "I just think it's stupid to go back there. The man's a freaking psycho." After all, he did have Natsu locked up in the dungeons for a while. The only thing that made that experience more bearable was when Lucy would come down not only with food, but to talk to him as well.

"I can't argue with you there," Gray admitted. "Look, Natsu, don't worry too much about it. She loves being here in Fairy Tail. She was miserable at that mansion. I know she won't stay there. And you have to keep a lower profile. You're pretty much a wanted man. So don't go back there unless you have to."

"But what if-"

"Shut up, you idiot." Gray rolled his eyes. "Lucy can handle herself. You don't have to protect her all the time. Just let her do this and if you want to hound her about it when she gets back, be my guest." Gray knew that he was worried because Lucy was still hurt. Gray heard about what happened to her. She got seriously injured protecting Happy. The wound on her back had been deep and would leave a long scar. Gray didn't know the details of the wound, but he knew that she was still in a lot of pain whenever she stood up or sat up straight for long periods of time. Being her friend, he, too, was worried about her.

Natsu puffed out his cheeks like a child and Gray rolled his eyes.

"Listen," he started, his voice low so only Natsu would hear his words. "I've known Lucy for a long time now. A lot longer than you have, Natsu. She wouldn't go back to her father unless it was something important. And she sure as hell wouldn't stay there on her own free will. She always told me how much she wanted to join an official guild. So quit running around and asking everyone where she is like some lunatic. You sound like a clingy boyfriend."

* * *

Lucy gripped her messenger bag tightly, her knuckles turning white. She had been standing in front of the Heartfilia mansion's doors for a solid ten minutes. Part of her was screaming that she needed to run back, and she needed to do it now. But there was something she needed to talk to her father about; something she had been wanting the answer to for a long time now. And that was why Natsu was locked up in this home and not The Council.

Lifting her hand to the door handle, she caught a glimpse of her guild mark. That little mark was enough to make her feel brave because she knew there were people waiting for her back in Magnolia. People who loved her and wanted her to be there. They were more of a family than Jude Heartfilia ever was. That was why she had it placed on the back of her dominant hand. That way, she would always be able to see it. It was a reminder of happiness and peace and it immediately calmed the celestial mage's racing heart. She took a deep breath before pushing open the doors. Even though she hadn't been in this mansion in two months, the smell of it was familiar. It smelled of flowers and cleaning products and nothing like there were people who lived there. One maid, upon seeing Lucy, dropped a tray she had in her hands. "L-Lucy-sama!"

Lucy rushed over to help her pick everything up, knowing how pissed her father would get if he saw the mess. The maid was a young girl whose name Lucy couldn't remember and whose hair reminded her of Lisanna. "Can you tell me where my father is right now?" she asked after everything was picked up and both women were standing.

"Y-Yes, he's in his study. B-But Jude-dono would not wish to see you in those clothes, Lucy-sama."

Lucy looked down at what she was wearing. Jeans and a baggy T-Shirt to hide the bandages wrapped all around her torso. Even though Wendy and Porlyusica let her know that the wound was healing the way that it was supposed to, it still hurt and she was still ashamed to let anyone see her with it on. Natsu did once when he _very awkwardly_ helped her change her shirt not long after the incident itself. Previously, Lucy was never allowed to see her father in anything short of a dress with a corset that crushed her ribs. She was convinced one of them was permanently bent because of those blasted death traps. She tensed, shaking her head. "No, I don't think that'll be necessary."

The maid paled and tried to stop her, but Lucy just waved and smiled back at her. She wasn't here to play dress up. She was here strictly on a mission and she needed to get the mission over with. She worried what Natsu and Happy would do after reading the note she left for them. There was a possibility they would try to stop her, so she needed to get her answer before they tried to do that. She didn't knock before entering her father's study and she didn't smile when he greeted her with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. She noticed his hair had gotten longer, but he still had that signature mustache. He cleared his throat, easily regaining his posture. Lucy didn't lighten up her glare, either.

"Lucy," he said in a hard voice, folding his hands in front of him. He was standing up, meaning that he towered over Lucy's small frame. The little girl in her was terrified and wanted to flinch in fear of a smack or a shove. "Welcome home." When he saw was she was wearing, Jude didn't even try to hide the disgusted look on his face. Seeing her guild mark only made the disgust worsen. "I see you join a group of bandits," he said, his tone venomous. "I had hoped my daughter, having been raised in this sophisticated world, would have had some standards. Instead she's gallivanting with a bunch of...drunkards."

Lucy wanted to argue with him. She wanted to scream that the people of Fairy Tail were the family he never was, but that was an argument for another day. She was here for one reason and one reason only. He clearly didn't care about whether she was here or not, which just made things simpler for her. The only thing keeping her now was her mother's grave. So she swallowed her pride and got right to the point, "I'm only here for one reason. Then I'm gone and out of your hair again. Tell me why you had Natsu Dragneel locked up here."

Jude snickered and Lucy clenched her fists. "You mean _the dragon_. That creature isn't human, so it doesn't deserve a name." Lucy's fists so so tight that her arms were shaking. She didn't like hearing him say bad things about Natsu. He was kind to her. He spent days by her side taking care of her. He _gave a shit_ about her. And he was worth so much more than his appearance. No, she didn't know what he looked like without all the dragon physicality's, but she was sure he was handsome because he was so even with them.

"Answer me, Father." Lucy took a deep breath to calm herself down. Getting angry with him would only cause problems. She didn't want to deal with that. Plus, he was leaving her alone for now. She didn't want him to change his mind and hire someone to retrieve her. He hired a bodyguard for her, so she knew he wasn't incapable of hiring a mage to bring her back to this prison.

Jude pulled at the cashmere sleeves of his brown suit jacket. "Why, the same reason everyone else is looking for him. I was told he sees into the future. Who wouldn't want that? He was going to tell me which markets to invest in and what to do with our railroads. He was so close to giving in when I was betrayed by my worker and my _daughter._ My own flesh and blood, betraying me."

Lucy knew what trick he was trying to play on her. She knew that he was trying to make her feel guilty and she hated that it kind of worked, gritting her teeth. She also knew what he meant when he said "giving in". Her blood boiled knowing that her father had been abusing Natsu. Or maybe torturing was a better word. She had never noticed any bruises or cuts on his body, but Natsu saw one of her bruises. And he immediately knew that it was Jude who caused it. _"He did that to you?"_ was what he asked her when he touched her for the first time. She was visiting him in his cell and he noticed the bruise on her arm. She should have realized it then. The reason he was able to figure out how abusive her father was was because he abused Natsu, too. Now, she didn't know if Natsu could see into the future or not and, frankly, she didn't care. If he didn't want to tell her about it, he didn't have to. Even though it seemed most of Fiore was after whatever power it held. Sabertooth even went as far as destroying the guild and injuring most of its members to do so. It seemed Sabertooth and Jude Heartfilia were on the same side.

"You're disgusting," Lucy found herself saying. She kept her eyes on her father, tears rimming them. He looked enraged and was about to say something when Lucy spoke again, this time much louder and much harsher in tone, "You'll go to any lengths for your own benefit. You care more about money than you ever did about me! And maybe you cared more about it than Mom." Lucy's chest rose and fell rapidly, her father's face paling. "I don't care that you hit me. But to torture Natsu...Someone I care about! You are the most disgusting man I have ever met and I _hate_ that I have to share the same flesh and blood as the likes of you." Lucy was crying now, the tears rolling down her cheeks rapidly. "I don't understand how a woman like Mom was able to love a _monster_ like you. You didn't deserve her. The only thing you deserve is to go to hell with the rest of your greed!" So many years of held onto anger was coming out at once. She knew her words were harsh, but this man wasn't her father. He was a monster and as good as dead. She was practically heaving by the end of her small rant.

In an instant, Jude's hand was on her cheek in a slap. Lucy stared down at the ground, shaking her head. The tears continued to fall, but it wasn't like she wasn't expecting to get hit. "How dare you talk to me like that," he snarled. "I am your father."

"I have no father!" Lucy screamed.

She turned to run out when he grabbed her arm. It wasn't the same way Natsu grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. Jude's hand was rough, squeezing her flesh so tightly she yelped out in pain. "You may look like her," he started, referring to Layla, "But you are a disgrace on the Heartfilia name. Your mother would not stand for this kind of behavior!"

Lucy tried to pull herself free, but his grip was too strong, too tight. "What she wouldn't stand for is your abusiveness. It's not I she would be ashamed of, Father. It is you." She screamed when he threw her against the bookshelf. It wouldn't have hurt as badly if she wasn't already wounded in the place that rammed right into the shelf. She could feel the bruise forming on her arm in the shape of his hand.

"Get out," he said, pointing to the door. "You don't know what Layla would have thought. You didn't know her like I did. You were too young to know _anything_ about her."

Lucy was shaking now from both anger and her tears. His words pierced her heart like a dagger. "I hate you," she said. She didn't think she would ever be able to find it in herself to love him. She wondered if she ever did love him. He was a power hungry tyrant who cared more about his money than his own family. Part of Lucy hoped that would be his downfall. "Never try to contact me again, Father." She looked up at him, the tears still spilling over. "And if you so much as lay a finger on any of my nakama - no, any of my _family_ \- I will not hold back."

When she ran out of his office, she rammed into a few maids, knocking them over. She normally would have apologized and helped them, but she was too angry to do anything but run, and she knew exactly where her feet were taking her.

* * *

"I've been looking all over for you."

Erza was sitting on the roof of her apartment complex, her knees hugged to her chest and her long, red hair flowing with the summer breeze. Gray made his way out of her apartment's open window and sat down next to her. He left his legs stretched out, though. "Your clothes, Gray," Erza said nonchalantly, gesturing to the fact that he was only in his underwear. She was glad he decided not to show up naked this time, though.

Gray just waved her off. "Dunno where they are. Anyway, I've been looking for you all day. Everyone says you haven't been showing up at the guild hall. Are you okay?"

"Mm," she hummed, nodding once.

"Don't lie," Gray said, bumping Erza's shoulder with his own. "We've known each other since we were kids. I can see right through your lies, you know."

Erza puffed her cheeks and turned away from him. She was glad she had her armor on; it kept her calm. If she had her shield, her heart wouldn't get crushed. But every time she closed her eyes, she saw the amber eyes of Jellal and she felt like crying all over again. "I'll go help rebuild the guild hall tomorrow. Okay? Is that what you want from me?"

Gray was silent for a while before a loud groan escaped his lips. "Geez, Erza, quit this bullshit act you're putting on. Something happened that night of the attack, didn't it? Who hurt you?"

"No one!" she shouted. She didn't mean to shout at him, but it came out almost like a reflex. Jellal's words still rang through her mind. He wanted her to ask him to stay here. And he would have stayed if she just asked him. But she would rather he stayed safe and lied through her teeth, saying she didn't want him to stay. Now she didn't know when she would be seeing him next and her heart clenched. "You're acting like you know everything, Gray. Stop it. You know nothing about what I'm feeling."

"Want to bet?"

When Erza looked over her shoulder at him, he was leaning back on his palms, his eyebrows raised at her. His chest rose and fell steadily.

"It's Jellal, isn't it?"

Erza's eyes widened and her shoulders tensed. _How does he...?_ She shook her head, not wanting to think about it now because she just wanted to forget about Jellal. She was feeling down and he was the sole reason for her feeling that way. Him and the fact that Erza was never honest about her feelings for him to even herself. "Don't you have your own life to worry about? Go find Juvia and give that poor girl an answer. Don't torture her."

"This isn't about me," he said and Erza looked away from him again. "You're not even acting like yourself. You're showing no interest in the guild. It's worrisome, Erza. I mean, you tend to get weird for a while after Jellal comes to report to you, but there's something different now." Silence fell over them, a silence that stretched out for what felt like hours. The voices of people at Fairy Tail could be heard in the distance, but they were too far away to make out any words or whose voice it was. "It's okay to cry, Erza. It's okay to cry when your heart is broken."

Erza gritted her teeth. Gray kept his cold, dark blue eyes on her back. When he saw her shoulders shaking, he didn't know what to do to comfort her. He told her it was okay to cry, but was it okay for him to just sit back and wait for her to cry it out. She wasn't making a single sound, but he could tell just by her body language that she was breaking down. He let out a breath and scooted closer to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She didn't move from her position, but she didn't push Gray away, either.

Erza hiccuped, covering her eyes with her hands. Jellal was the one who was there for her in the Tower of Heaven. He was the one who took the fall for Soh. But he was also the one who killed Simon and the one who tried to kill her, too. _"I love you, Erza."_ He said those words to her right before he tried to sacrifice her. And if it weren't for Natsu, Erza would have let him do it. She couldn't hold a grudge against him, and that was what she hated most about this whole situation.

"I hate him," she said after a long time. She refused to look at Gray, but she felt his grip on her shoulder tighten. Erza put her hand out on either side of her face to shield it. As comfortable as she was around Gray, she didn't want him to see her crying like this. "I hate him because I can't seem to hate him at all. No matter what he does, I'm never going to _truly_ hate him. His stupid face and his stupid words won't get out of my head."

"Erza-"

"Don't say anything," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder and relaxing her body. The tears still fell, but not as quickly. "Please," she added.

Gray nodded. "Okay." He leaned his cheek on the top of her head and sat like that in silence with her for a long time. He didn't know what time it was when they finally pulled away from each other, but when they did, Erza smiled and Gray knew that coming here was worth it.

* * *

"Good job today, Wendy. You can go home now if you would like."

Wendy wiped her hands on the white apron, looking up at Porlyusica. "I'm going to stay a little longer," she said with a smile. "Carla went off to run a couple errands with Happy, so I'll just wait until she gets back and then I'll go home."

"Very well." For a moment, Wendy thought she saw the pink haired woman smile before walking into Evergreen's room.

Wendy loved working with Porlyusica, but it was hard sometimes. She was the Edolas counterpart of Grandine. Her voice was the same soothing voice she remembered as a child. Grandine was like her mother; she raised her, taught her magic...When she disappeared, it was really hard on Wendy. It got a little better when she met Mystogan, who helped her find Cait Shelter. Her heartstrings tugged at the thought of Mystogan. He was the king of Edolas now, but Wendy missed him. She wished there was a way she could see him to see if he was doing okay in a world without any more magic. Knowing that he saved her life and she would never be able to see him again...Sometimes, it all got too much for her.

So she hoped her counterpart knew him at least and was at least his friend. She hoped he was happy and taken care of.

Wendy made her way to hang up her coat when someone walked into the hospital. When he cleared his throat, he caught Wendy's attention and she jumped a bit when she saw who it was, mostly because he was about five times the size of her. "L-Laxus. Er, can I help you?" She had never had much interaction with the second generation dragon slayer. He was mostly away on jobs and when he was around, he was with the Thunder Legion. The two just never crossed paths and part of Wendy was always kind of scared of him. The large scar on his face didn't necessarily calm the Sky Dragon Slayer.

He grunted, nodding once. "Where's Cana?" This was the first time Laxus showed up in Magnolia for a while, so he wasn't around during the battle with Sabertooth.

Terrified of upsetting him, Wendy pointed to the elevator. "Fourth floor. Room 423. It'll be on your right side."

"Thanks."

As he waited in the elevator, Laxus leaned back against the wall. As the elevator beeped every floor it went up, Laxus got both nervous and impatient. He had heard about Cana from Freed. Apparently, she was injured so badly that she was still in intensive care weeks later. He was pissed not only at Sabertooth for doing this to her but at himself for not being there to protect her like he always told her he would. He didn't know what he would say when he saw her, but here he was, going to see her anyway. He and Cana had similar pasts and similar daddy issues. They were able to bond over that fact and later promised to protect each other. While Laxus knew he didn't need protecting, he let her say she would anyway to keep her pride. Cana was a powerful mage, but he was sure they both knew he was the stronger of the two.

The elevator beeped a fourth time and the doors opened. Pushing himself off of the back wall, he made his way down the hall. There were a few nurses moving around, their eyes widening when they saw Laxus with his purple coat over his shoulders, his large boots making noise with every step he took. It didn't take long for him to get to room 423 with his long strides. It did, however, take a moment for him to actually reach out and open the door.

Cana was sitting up on the bed, a bottle of beer in her hand. She had a bandage wrapped around her head, her brown hair looking like it hadn't been brushed in a long time. She had scratches all over his face and more bandages on her arms and legs. She looked like she was put through a blender in Laxus's opinion and he pressed his lips together as he closed the door behind him. When she noticed him, she stopped drinking and stared at him with wide eyes. Her eyes were familiar, especially since Laxus knew her since they were both kids. She was even in the guild before he was. "Laxus?" she asked, setting her drink down.

"Does Porlyusica know you're drinking that?" he asked, pointing to the half empty bottle.

"What are you doing here?" Cana asked, ignoring Laxus's words completely. She folded her arms over his chest and Laxus could have sworn he saw her wince.

Laxus didn't sit down. In fact, he didn't move from the door at all. He grunted and shrugged because, to him, that seemed a lot easier to of than say he wanted to make sure she was okay.

Cana's shoulder slumped a bit and she removed her folded arms from each other. She leaned back against the wall. If the action hurt her, she didn't show it. "I'm assuming you heard what happened here two weeks ago." There was judgment in her tone, but Laxus didn't flinch. Since the Battle of Fairy Tail incident, he was sure no one fully trusted him anymore. He thought Cana had, but now that he didn't show up to help them, he was sure she didn't anymore.

"I was on a job," he started.

"I know," she said when he didn't finish.

A silence enveloped the room. To Laxus, it felt like it lasted a lifetime. Cana just continued to stare at him, completely ignoring the alcohol beside her. The fact that she wasn't drinking put even more pressure and Laxus and suddenly the reason why he was here in the first place flew out the window. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Everything he was saying in his head was starting to sound like gibberish, the words mixed around. His head began to ache and he pressed his lips together. "I'm sorry," he blurted out after what he was sure was twenty minutes of not saying anything.

Cana's dark purple eyes were wide at his words. She was silent too until she began to snicker. "What the hell are you sorry for?" she asked, continuing to giggle.

Laxus furrowed his eyebrows together. "For not," he started, not knowing how to finish with all her laughing that just got louder and louder. With the idea that she was mocking him in his head, he only started to get angry. He frowned.

Cana calmed down after a while, but Laxus had to admit that seeing her smile was nice. He wondered when the last time she smiled like that was. He had asked her to accompany him on jobs before, but she always refused. She preferred going with Macao and people like that. Part of Laxus was relieved because he was a lone wolf kind of mage and he was also S Class so he took different kinds of jobs, but there was still a part of him that wanted to do just one with Cana.

"Laxus," Cana said, her tone much more serious now. "I know that you're here to apologize for not being here when Sabertooth attacked. But you should know that it's okay. Yeah, I got pretty hurt, but I'm not dead. You of all people should know that I can handle myself. So I'm going to accept your apology and you're going to stop being so tense over there. You look like a tree," she said, giggling again. "Sorry."

Laxus sighed. "If you want me to kick the Sabertooth bastard's ass, I will." He was being serious, but when he saw Cana laugh again, he chuckled. Laxus never laughed out loud. Not in public, anyway. There was only one time he did and that was with Cana when he was a teenager and so was she. "In all seriousness, though, Cana, I made you a promise. And I broke that promise. That's what I came here to apologize for."

Cana waved it off. "That was just some stupid little thing we agreed to as kids." Though it wasn't that many years ago when they did. "Just forget about the whole thing."

He would be lying if he said that her words didn't sting at all. He was still going to protect her no matter what she said, but knowing that she thought the agreement was stupid? Laxus shook his head to rid his mind of the thoughts and nodded once at Cana. "Alright." He turned to leave. His hand was on the doorknob when Cana spoke again.

"Sit down and I'll tell you about the fight. You know, I was pretty badass for being, well, for being drunk."

* * *

The sun had started to set. Lucy didn't know when; she didn't care. She was kneeling in front of Layla's grave, her fingers grazing the raised numbers of the year she left this earth: X777. Where her father held onto her arm was a huge black and blue mark the size of his hand. It hurt and she knew it would get worse as they day progressed, but she got the answer she needed. Actually, she got more than one of her questions answered. She knew why her father was after Natsu and she knew that he no longer cared if she stayed or if she went. He wouldn't be bothering her or her friends at Fairy Tail. Or, at least, she hoped he wouldn't.

"Mama," she breathed, holding back the tears. "Mama, I miss you. I wish...I wish you were here. I want to talk to you about so many things." She took a deep breath, forcing the tears back. She didn't want to cry anymore today. She was honestly tired and wanted to get on the train back to Magnolia, but she couldn't leave without seeing her mother's grave. She didn't know if this was going to be the last time she ever would.

"All you left me with was this locket," she said, tugging on the gold pendant. "It doesn't even open," she grumbled. Lucy tried countless amounts of times to get the star-shaped pendant to open, but it was like it was glued shut. It must have meant something to Layla, though, if she would leave it here.

Lucy licked her lips and pressed them together. She reached behind her and undid the clasp, allowing the necklace to fall into the palm of her hand. She laid it out over her mother's grave, sitting down in front of it. "I wish we had more time to talk. I have to go soon, though. And I...I don't know if I can come back. I'm so sorry, Mama!"

The tears were flowing before Lucy even realized. She let them fall onto her thighs and roll off into the grass. She was alone out here and it was okay for her to cry. "I want," she hiccuped, "to be strong like you were. I can't even open two gates at once without using all of my magical energy. How did you manage three? Can you...Can you please teach me?"

Lucy reached out and pressed her palm against the warm stone. The star pendant pressed up against it, too. Even through her tears, she could see the pendant starting to glow. She pulled her hand away as if it had been burned, staring at the glowing star with wide eyes. The last tears fell, leaving her cheeks feeling tight and sticky. The golden glow got so bright that Lucy had to shield her eyes with her arm, falling back onto the grass. She didn't remove her arm from her eyes until the glow was gone.

Standing in front of her mother's grave - almost in place of the necklace - was a tall goat-man wearing a butler's uniform, tailcoat and all. "Ah," he breathed, placing one hand over his heart and bowing. Lucy, on the other hand, was still on the floor, staring up at him with wide eyes. "You must be Lucy-san. Layla-san's daughter, yes? She told me I would be contracted to you. This is yours." He held out his hand in front of her and in it was a gold zodiac key.

"Eh?" she blinked. Her eyes were burning from crying, but she couldn't seem to take them off of the spirit in front of her.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Capricorn. I am your mother's most faithful spirit. She left me to you when she passed on. She used all that was left of her magical energy to make my key into a locket to protect her daughter, Lucy-san. By having it come into contact with Layla-san's grave, my key returned to its original state."

"Eh?" she repeated. She didn't understand any of this. What on earth was he talking about? None of it made any sense of her.

"Shall I explain from the beginning, Lucy-san?"

Lucy nodded slowly. She stood up, brushing the grass off of her arms and clothes.

"I was the first one your mother told about her fate. She knew that she would not be a part of the world for very long, but she wanted the best life for her daughter. She was so very happy when you became a celestial mage. She told me that when the time came, I would be contracted to you. She believed I would be of use." Capricorn bowed again, but Lucy wasn't entirely sure why. She remembered seeing him around the mansion when she was a little girl, but he never once spoke to her. She was more interested in the mermaid, Aquarius. "But she didn't want you to acquire me as easily as Aquarius and Cancer. She wanted you to be strong enough to have me on your team."

Lucy shook her head. It was aching. "I'm not strong at all. I can't even hold two gates open at once."

She couldn't read Capricorn's expression behind his pair of sunglasses. "I can sense your magical energy, Lucy-san. While you are definitely not as strong as Layla-san was, you care very deeply for every single one of us. You are a friend of the celestial spirits."

Lucy folded her arms over her chest, wincing a bit when she accidentally hit the bruise her father had left.

"I have been by your side all this time, Lucy-san. You are much stronger than you were before. Layla-san would have been proud. Not any celestial mage can possess as many golden keys as you have."

"I'm weak. I'm the weakest in my guild."

"Everyone must start from the bottom. Work your way up to the top, just as your mother did when she was an S-Class mage."

Lucy looked down at the key in her hands and twirled it between her fingers. Her mother wanted no one else to be contracted to Capricorn but her, so she made Capricorn's key into a locket. She held it tightly in her hand, pressing it to her chest. When she looked up at the spirit, she was smiling widely. "I'll make her proud, Capricorn. I'll become an S-Class mage of Fairy Tail and make my mother proud."

"I can help you with that, Lucy-san," Capricorn said, bowing once more. "Whenever you need me, you can summon me and I can teach you how to control your magic energy."

Lucy nodded. She was still smiling, but tears were now rolling down her face again. "Thank you!"

* * *

It was already dark when Lucy arrived back in Magnolia. Capricorn's key was now on her key ring with the rest of her spirits. It felt weird not having her mother's locket anymore, but it also felt nice to have another spirit on her team. She couldn't go up against Yukino again, but she would train and get stronger. She would become brave like Erza, skillful like Gray, and powerful like Natsu.

And there was no way she was going to give up. She knew it would be hard. She knew she was going have to work for hours on end, but she wanted to improve her strength and magical ability not only for herself, but to make her mother proud as well.

Lucy stopped short when she reached her apartment. Natsu was sitting on the steps, running his fingers through his already unruly pink hair. Lucy didn't have to say anything because her smell got his attention and he shot up, running towards her with a worried look on his face. "Lucy! You're finally back. I was getting worried!"

Lucy offered him a smile, but she didn't have any time to say anything because he already grabbed her arm and inspected it, frowning at the bruise.

"Did that bastard do this?" he demanded, anger evident in his tone. He let go of Lucy's arm. "I swear I'm going to burn him to a crisp," he grumbled as he walked past Lucy, flames forming over his hands. He was going to go there, Lucy knew that much. He stopped, though, when he felt Lucy grab onto the back of his vest. He turned around and looked down at her with wide eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "You haven't said anything. Are you hungry or are you-?"

He stopped talking when Lucy reached her hand up and covered his good eye with it. The red one seemed to glow under the light of the moon. "Tell me what you see," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Natsu blinked.

"Okay."


	10. The Dragon's Eye

**I'm a little nervous uploading this chapter, not going to lie. This chapter is a little shorter than my chapters for this fic usually are, but that's only because this is almost all Natsu and Lucy! ^.^ I hope you all enjoy it!**

 **I want to take a short moment to say thank you to everyone who leaves reviews and follows my story! Every time I see a new one, I smile ear-to-ear! Thank you!**

 **I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors that may be within this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

Happy was already in Lucy's apartment, flying right into a hug when he saw Lucy walk in with Natsu trailing not far behind. She smiled softly, hugging the blue feline back. "Lucy! I thought I'd never see you again!" Happy sobbed.

"Of course I came back," Lucy said. Natsu slipped around her after closing the door, making himself completely at home by invading her fridge. "I love being here in Magnolia. And being in Fairy Tail. I'd miss everyone too much to ever leave." Lucy knew very well that she would miss Happy and Natsu the most, but she didn't dare let them know. It felt like a secret she had to kept locked up. Natsu already broke down so many of her walls that it made her almost uneasy at the idea of him having full access to the key of her heart.

"Don't leave again, Lucy!" Happy shouted, shaking his head. When he looked up at her, she saw that he was practically sobbing. Lucy reached out and wiped them away, keeping the smile on her face. She had to admit, it felt awfully nice to be missed. "Natsu was going around the guild hall asking if anyone knew where you were," Happy said and when Lucy looked over at Natsu, his back to her as he rummaged through the drinks she had stocked up, he was tense. "We were going to wait here for you to come back home, but Natsu went to sit outside on the porch. He was really worried because you were with your father."

"I'm still worried."

Lucy looked up from Happy. Natsu was standing in front of her now, three drinks and at least four bags of chips in his arms. He was frowning and Lucy loosened her grip on Happy who flew over to Natsu and grabbed a bag of chips before sitting down on the couch. "You are?" Lucy asked slowly. "But my father isn't a problem. He…He doesn't want anything to do with me." Saying the words made her chest ache. Sure, her father was a cruel dictator-like man, but he was still her father and being rejected by him still hurt just the same as it did when she was a little girl.

Natsu's eyes went down to Lucy's arm and she knew what he was trying to say. She covered the bruise with her other hand. "One of the first times you came down to see me in the dungeons, you had a similar bruise to that one. It…It made me really mad knowing that he did that to you. I worry that you're going to get really hurt. And I just…Damn it, I just don't want to lose someone else I care for."

Lucy's eyes widened at his words and the slight pink tint to his cheeks. "Natsu," she started. She reached out and ran her fingers through his hair, tracing one of his horns. The gesture seemed to shock him, but only for a quick moment before he shook it off. "I'm here now, okay? You don't have to worry about that because I care about you, too. I have since I met you."

Natsu took a step back from her, avoiding meeting her eyes with his own. "Come on, let's sit."

"Why?"

Natsu looked over his shoulder at her. "You said you wanted to know what I see through my dragon's eye. I'm going to tell you. And it's a pretty long story, so you should get yourself comfortable."

Sometimes, it seemed as though Natsu and Happy were more comfortable in this apartment than Lucy was. They easily made themselves fit in here; so much so that she had to kick them out (literally) when they barged in while she was still in a towel. He sat down on the couch, Happy in the middle, and began to stuff his face with the food Lucy couldn't remember buying. She stood back for a short moment, just watching them interact with each other. Her lips curved into a smile when she saw Natsu laughing. She couldn't believe this was the same person who destroyed villages and killed people. Lucy hardly even noticed his dragon features anymore. They were normal for her; though maybe that was because she didn't know what he looked like without them. She wondered if he was even more handsome than he was right then.

"Lucy, why is your face so red?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Lucy covered her burning cheeks. Happy was the one who spoke, poking his head up over the couch. Natsu was looking over at her, too, but she was unable to meet his gaze. She was just thinking about how handsome he looked when he laughed. And now she wanted to crawl under a rock for the next few days. She didn't know why she was so embarrassed. It wasn't like she had any romantic feelings for Natsu. He was her friend and she just happened to think he wasn't bad to look at.

She gently tapped her cheeks, walking over to the couch and sitting down next to Happy. "It's just a bit hot in here, that's all," Lucy waved it off. Natsu's arm was draped over the back of the couch, his fingertips only millimeters from where Lucy was sitting. Happy didn't take up that much room on the couch, so she was actually pretty close to Natsu. "Does Happy know?" Lucy asked. "About what you see, I mean."

"Yep!" Happy answered. He used his aera magic and flew up into the air. "Do you have any fish, Lucy? Those chips aren't good."

Lucy shrugged. "I might have some. Go ahead and check," she said, waving to the kitchen. His eyes lit up and he flew into the kitchen as if his life depended on it.

"Lucy," Natsu started, his voice low. He sounded serious and that sent an eerie chill down her spine. "It's not pretty. What I see. I don't see it when I have both eyes opened, but when it's just the dragon's eye…It's frightening. And Happy is the only other one who knows. I'm going to ask you not to tell anyone else."

Lucy nodded. She felt a bit proud that he was telling her when he didn't even tell Lisanna, his childhood best friend. Lucy wasn't even sure herself as to why she wanted to know so badly. She told herself that she didn't care because he was kind to her either way. But seeing how badly others wanted to get a hold of the information Natsu had, she couldn't help but let the curiosity take over. Sabertooth attacked the entire guild for this information. Lucy's own father locked Natsu up in the dungeons for weeks and tortured him for this information. Lucy knew nothing of dragons or dragon slayer magic, but she wanted to know more about Natsu. Everyone outside of Fairy Tail saw him as some sort of beast, but Lucy thought he was gentle, especially when it came to her. He had so many chances to kill her back at the Heartfilia mansion, but he never once tried to hurt her.

"I promise," she whispered.

Natsu moved closer to her until their legs touched. With his free hand, he gently grabbed Lucy's and placed it on top of his normal eye. "Keep your hand there." When he looked back up at her with his red eye, Lucy noticed it seemed to glow yet again. "This curse I have didn't start at my eyes. It took over a year for it to reach it, actually. It started with the scales not subsiding after I used Dragon Force, a dragon slayer magic in which the user obtains the physical properties of a dragon. This is used to fight off dragons, normally. That way, we're of an equal match."

Lucy nodded slowly, pressing her lips together. She didn't know if there was even going to be a time where it would be appropriate to say something, so she kept quiet and let him talk. Happy flew back into the room and sat down on the spot where Lucy's and Natsu's legs touched, nibbling on a fish.

"Gramps didn't know what was wrong, why my magic was keeping the Dragon Force active on my body. Porlyusica didn't know, either. So everyone just shook it off. Well, mostly everyone." Natsu paused for a moment, licking his lips. His eyes didn't once leave Lucy's. "Some of the guild members got really uneasy around me. They all avoided me like it was contagious." His lips twisted up in a snarl. "Gray and Erza were the only ones who treated me normally. Besides Gramps. Even Lisanna…She refused to look at me. I heard her tell Mirajane that she hated being near a _monster_ like me. That she didn't even know who I was anymore. And she had the nerve to confess to me."

Lucy's eyes widened. She didn't know why, but the idea of Lisanna confessing to Natsu made her feel upset. Her hand faltered for a moment before Natsu grabbed it and put it back. Lucy was a bit shocked by his roughness, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Natsu gets really angry sometimes when he sees through only that eye," Happy said, looking up at Lucy. "You don't have to worry, though, Lucy, because Natsu would only hurt people he doesn't like when he's like this. He would never hurt someone he loves deep down."

"Loves?"

"Shut up, Happy," Natsu grumbled. "I know that isn't what you asked, but I thought you should know that, too. My dragon appearance has gotten me unable to work or officially be a part of the guild anymore. The scales cover my guild mark. I don't know if it's still there under all these scales." Natsu paused again, eyeing Lucy's face for a moment. "Every person has demons. That much is obvious. But I can see them. With this eye, I can see things resting on people. Almost like leeches."

"Do I have any?" Lucy asked slowly.

Natsu nodded. "Yes. You have a lot more than the average person. That's how I know you've seen a lot of sadness in your life. I didn't notice until you put your hand over my eye outside before, but now…Now I can see them all. It pisses me off. I want to kill that man for making you cry."

Lucy sucked in a breath, her breathing becoming uneven. Hearing his words made her chest clench and her face heat up once again. Neither him nor Happy seemed to notice, though, and she thanked Mavis for that.

"But that's not all I can see," he said. "I have the hyper sight of a dragon. I can see for miles, through walls…Don't worry, I can't see through clothes," he grinned and Lucy's face flushed. He seemed different when he was seeing with just his dragon eye. She didn't think normal Natsu would have made a comment like that. "For example," he started, averting his eyes from Lucy for a moment. "Gray is in Erza's apartment right now." He looked around again. "Gajeel is with Levy doing some nasty shit." He looked back at Lucy and his lips twisted into a smile. Lucy wanted to ask why he was smiling, but she couldn't because he started speaking again, "And there's something else. I'm sure this last thing is what they're after."

Happy didn't seem to be phased at all by what Natsu was saying. He just continued to nibble on his fish. Lucy was a little uneasy. She wanted to tell him so she could take her hand off of his eye. She wanted the old Natsu back.

"I can sometimes see the future."

"Like Carla!" Happy piped up.

"But it's not something like seeing what you will eat for breakfast tomorrow, Luce. I see death," he said, his voice low, serious. "If someone is going to die soon, I can see it. I see blood and gore and…And I guess other people find that valuable. Well, the rumors about that, anyway. They think I can kill people with just one gaze. I can't. I can kill with my magic and my hands, but my eye? It's harmless. It's just unnerving for me. I don't like to see it."

"Have you…Seen it in someone from the guild?" Lucy asked, not entirely sure if she wanted to hear his answer.

Natsu sucked in a breath. "I did once. It was by accident. I fell asleep at the bar in the guild and when I woke up, I opened my dragon's eye first. It was still new, so I wasn't conscious of not having that one eye open. A smiling face greeted me when I woke and I saw. I saw Lisanna die. I thought it was just a dream, but then she actually did. Elfman killed her. Well, sent her to Edolas, but that's a story for another day. Anyway, that's when I realized that what I saw would happen. If I see someone die, they will die. I don't control it. I just see it. I don't know why I see it. I just do. I don't want to.

"My scarf usually keeps the visions at bay. Igneel used to tell me that it would always protect me from anything. But recently it's been hard not to see them in my nightmares. I never saw them in dreams before around three months ago. Before I went on that rampage where I met you. I was trying to find Igneel so he could tell me what the hell is wrong with me. Everything has been stronger lately. Scales have spread to more parts of my body. My horns got sharper. It won't be long before my good eye is affected, too."

Lucy's thumb caressed his cheek and she offered him a small smile. His scales by his nose were rough, but she didn't flinch or pull away. She felt honored that he was telling her this. She felt _special_. "I can't tell you everything will be okay because I don't know for sure. But I do know that I'll always be here for you like you're here for me."

"Thank you, Luce. I'm looking at you right now and I feel comfortable. Looking at your smiling face…It makes even this eye happy."

"Lucy, your face is red again. Do you have a fever or something?" Happy asked, looking up at her.

Lucy was ready to punch that damned cat.

"Don't you have something better to do, cat?" Lucy asked through gritted teeth.

Happy blinked. "Oh! I guess I can go see Wendy and Carla. Maybe she wants the other half of my fish." Happy flew up into the air, looking at Natsu expectantly. Lucy took her hand off of his eye and he didn't stop her.

"I'm gonna stay a little longer," he said with a curt nod. "Wendy'll probably let you sleep in her room, right?"

Happy nodded. "Probably. See you tomorrow, then, Natsu!" Happy waved before he flew through Lucy's bedroom and out the window he and Natsu presumably used to get in here.

Lucy turned back to Natsu's smiling face. "How about we cook up something for dinner?"

Lucy couldn't help her own smile. "Sure."

* * *

It was no secret that Juvia loved the water. Even after the rain stopped following her, she made time to go in the pool at Fairy Tail to practice her magic. She was once part of Phantom Lord's Element Four; she was just as powerful as Gajeel, and she didn't want to lose that power while she chased after true love. Gray was so very important to her, but her magic was a part of her and it always would be. She would treasure it forever.

She smiled as she swam through the water, forming cubes of it and holding it up in the air for as long as her magic would allow her to. She smiled after she was able to hold three of them for ten minutes.

Juvia leaned back in the water so it covered her ears and she was looking up at the stars. Everyone had already gone home and to bed. It was well after midnight at this point, after all. This was the most peaceful time for Juvia. Sometimes, she liked to be alone. Other times, she enjoyed the company of her comrades. Though she did admit that she missed Gajeel a lot. She seldom saw her anymore since he started seeing Levy. Juvia was happy to see him so happy, though. She just sometimes wished he made some time for her, too.

The clouds began to open up and a raindrop hit Juvia's nose, sliding down her cheek and into the water before a downpour began. She could hear the sound of some people screeching and running in order to get out of the rain, but all Juvia did was smile. The rain hitting her and her being in the water of the pool made her feel powerful. She didn't miss the rain following her everywhere she went, but it was nice to get caught in the rain sometimes.

"Damn, it's really coming down, ain't it?"

Juvia jolted up out of the water at the sound of a voice over the rain. She turned around, her hair heavy from the water and her lips turning down into a frown. "How did you get in here? This is Fairy Tail property."

Juvia didn't remember his name, but she remembered the lightning god slayer of Sabertooth's face. He had a bandage wrapped around his head. He chuckled loudly over the thunder. "The door was open?" he suggested.

Juvia didn't find it funny in the least. Her shoulders tensed. While she knew she could handle herself in a battle, the fact that he used lightning magic made her uneasy. Her water body magic left her weak to lightning magic. "People not bearing the Fairy Tail guild mark are not allowed here."

The god slayer cocked an eyebrow at her as his eyes traveled her torso. Juvia was standing now, so only her torso and up was able to be seen. His gaze sent a shiver down her spine. Not only was his magic superior to hers, but he was at least twice the size of her in height and width. He was a largely muscular man. She remembered him from the Grand Magic Games, but his name still wasn't coming to mind. He reached out, allowing the raindrops to pile up in his outstretched hand. "This rain's awfully gloomy, don't you think?"

Juvia sucked in a breath, the word acting like a knife piercing her heart. _Gloomy._ She hated everything about the word. She couldn't help but think back to the time when she was a little girl, sewing weather dolls to try to stop the rain that followed her everywhere. Everyone said how gloomy she was. She lost friends and boyfriends because of it. Gajeel was the first who didn't care about the rain even though she knew that his piercings didn't agree with the water. And meeting Gray stopped the rain altogether. Of course she would fall for him after that.

She didn't say anything; she just folded her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. She didn't once leave the water. While she was in the pool and the rain was pouring down, Juvia was at her strongest. She wasn't going to back down without a fight, especially not after what she heard these Sabertooth mages did to Fairy Tail.

The lightning god slayer stood up and kneeled down in front of the pool, a wicked grin spread across his face. "I remember you. Juvia Lockser. You were a part of the Grand Magic Games last year, right? You were once part of Phantom Lord with the iron dragon slayer." He paused, clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth. "Don't tell me you've forgotten me already."

Juvia's gaze didn't falter no mater how increasingly worried she got. Seeing him run his index finger through the water made her tense. At any moment, he could electrocute her.

"Orga's my name. You know what kind of magic I use, don't you?"

"Yes."

"If you come with me quietly, I promise I won't hurt you."

Juvia sucked in a breath. "What business do you have with Juvia?"

Orga chuckled, "Damn, I can't tell if you referring to yourself in the third person is cute or annoying." He stood up straight. "Our business isn't with you particularly. It's with Natsu Dragneel. We know he won't turn his back if one of his nakama is captured."

Juvia cocked an eyebrow at him. Did he think she was going to go with him because he asked her to? If so, he was sadly mistaken because Juvia was a lot more stubborn than she looked. "Water Slicer!" she shouted, the water from the pool shooting up and towards Orga.

Orga laughed, jumping up into the air and easily dodging the attack. "You're the same Juvia from Phantom Lord's Element Four? Seems you got weaker since becoming a fairy." His attack came before Juvia could even blink. She screamed out in pain when the lightning hit her. It seemed to last for hours before it stopped and when it did, Juvia was having a hard time standing up. She didn't know the Sabertooth mages were _that_ strong.

Juvia jumped when Orga landed on the side of the pool behind her, a wicked grin still on his face. "If you can defeat me in battle, water fairy, I'll leave you and Natsu alone. You up for it?" he challenged. His eyes were full of hunger and Juvia gritted her teeth.

"Juvia is ready to defeat you!"

* * *

"That meal sure was good."

Lucy didn't know how many hours went by. Maybe three. Or maybe it was four. She lost track of it somewhere along a conversation about when Natsu first met Erza. Lucy had found it both amusing and endearing and ended up unable to hold back a fit of giggles. Rain was falling down hard outside. Lucy managed to close her window before it got too bad, but her duvet was currently in the dryer.

Natsu stretched his arms over his head and yawned. "I should probably head back home," he said just as his contagious yawn reach Lucy and she was yawning, too. When Lucy nodded, Natsu stood up and brought his plate over to the sink, tossing it in carelessly. "Sorry for keeping you up so late."

Lucy waved him off, "Don't worry about it. If I wanted you to leave, I would have kicked you out." She had no problems kicking him out, that was for sure. "Are you going to use the door this time?" she teased.

Natsu shook his head. "I never use the door. Using it before was too weird. I'll go out the window."

Lucy let out a sigh. "Fine, but go quickly because otherwise my sheets will get all wet, too."

Natsu chuckled as he walked beside Lucy towards her bedroom. He was on her left and her right was by the wall. Natsu made it halfway before he began to sway, the tiredness taking over every ounce of his being. He almost landed right on Lucy, but he managed to grab onto the wall with his left hand before he did, closing her in between the cold wall and his over-heated body.

"N-Natsu."

"Sorry," he said, his forehead falling onto her shoulder. He didn't know why he felt so tired all of a sudden, but he didn't know if he would be able to make it back home like this. "I just feel really tired all of a sudden," he grumbled. "Can I stay here tonight?"

"Natsu," Lucy repeated, urgently. Natsu could feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest against his. "Natsu, your arm."

"Huh?"

Lucy was staring at his left arm that was propped against the wall right beside her head. It wasn't the same as it was just earlier. In fact, it wasn't a human's arm at all. It was a dragon's. With a dragon's claws and all.

Natsu lifted his head from her shoulder, his eyes widening when he saw what she was talking about. He immediately pulled away from her, but before he could hide his hand, Lucy grabbed it and pulled him back closer to her. "I don't get it," he said, his breathing labored. He was afraid of what was happening to his body, yes, but he was even more afraid of accidentally hurting Lucy. He didn't understand why she was still willing to stand so close to him. "Why aren't you cowering or running away? It's disgusting. Everyone else…they always run away."

"I already told you," she said, staring up at him with hard eyes. "I'm not going to abandon you." Natsu's eyes were wide. Lucy didn't know what he was thinking, but she smiled up at him. "I'm not afraid of you, Natsu. And I won't be running away." She knew that he must have been really scared right now. It would be awful of her to run away from him now when he needed someone the most. He would never admit that he needed someone, but Lucy could see it just by the way he wasn't pulling away from her hold on his hand. "You look really tired," she said, referring to the huge bags under his eyes.

"I feel really tired," he added with a deep chuckle.

Lucy tugged on his hand, silently leading him back to her bedroom and closing the door behind them with her foot. She turned him around so he was facing her and he had a confused expression on his face the entire time. "You can sleep on my bed. You're clearly much more tired than I am," Lucy said. "But I…" She cut herself off. How was she supposed to ask him this question? No matter how she thought about it, it sounded bad in her head. "Never mind," she grumbled, turning to leave the room.

She stopped short when Natsu gently grabbed her wrist with his now only human hand. She turned back around and faced him and he let go of her. "Tell me what you wanted to say."

Lucy licked her lips, pressing them together. She didn't say anything for a long time, staring at the ground. She could feel Natsu's curious gaze on her as she tried to rack her brain. Nothing coming to mind sounded sane. She wanted to just come out and say it. Say that she wanted to see just how bad the Dragon Force was affecting his body. So, without thinking, Lucy reached out and wrapped her hand around his vest. She looked up at him to see that he was now looking down at her hand. He made no effort to stop her. "I want to see what it's done to you. This curse."

Natsu tensed, meeting her eyes. "It isn't pretty," he said. "My body isn't like Gray's."

"I know that," she said under her breath. "I just…" She tightened her grip on the rough fabric of his pretty worn out vest.

"Okay," he said softly. "Go ahead."

Lucy was almost afraid to meet his eyes again. Her cheeks were burning and she was glad the lights in the room were low. She brought her hands to his shoulders. She could feel the heat of his skin through the vest and she wondered if he was feverish. Gently, she pushed the fabric of the vest and Natsu shook his shoulders to help it fall around his feet. Lucy was standing so closely that her toes pressed against his. Her fingers moved from his shoulders and down his collarbones. On his left side, there were more scales. They were dark red, almost black, and ran down to his hipbone. Her fingers hovered over the rough scales, barely touching him at all. She was almost afraid to touch him too forcefully. She wasn't afraid of him reacting negatively; she was afraid of her body reacting too positively to it. Her face was already burning and she didn't want to do something else to make herself feel even more embarrassed. She looked up at Natsu for just a moment. He was covering the lower half of his face with his good hand and she wondered if he was blushing.

"Does it hurt?" she asked and he shook his head.

"I'm just not used to anyone touching it," he admitted, looking down at her. "No one's ever wanted to since I became this way. They were always okay with getting near me when I had normal skin."

"Does it go down to your legs too?"

Natsu nodded.

Lucy looked up at him, pressing her palms on his stomach. He may have said he didn't look like Gray, but it was obvious that Natsu was fit like Gray was. Touching him alone made Lucy suck in a breath, her thoughts turning all over the place. "I don't know what you looked like before. But I know what you look like now. And I know who you are now." She paused, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart. "And I like you no matter what."

Natsu's eyes widened as he blinked down at her. She wondered if he never heard someone say something like that to him because part of her worried he would start crying. He didn't, though, and he reached for one of her hands with his left – the one with the dragon's claws. She didn't flinch as he brought her hand up to his heart.

Lucy gasped slightly when she felt the pounding of his heart. It felt like it was beating even faster than hers was.

"You feel it, right?" he whispered. "My heart."

Lucy nodded. "It's fast," she said with a soft chuckle, her face only getting hotter and hotter by the second. She looked up at Natsu and caught her breath when she met his eyes. Something was different about them now. This was a way he never looked at her and a way she always wished someone would look at her. That alone was enough to bring tears to her eyes. She held them back to the best of her ability, not wanting to cry in front of him because she knew he would get worried when there wasn't anything to worry about. "Natsu?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Even though they were standing so close to one another, she wasn't sure if he heard her or not.

Natsu opened his mouth, but then closed it again. The only sound echoing through the room was the _pitter patter_ of rain hitting the window. Lucy stared up at him for a long before he said a single word. She wondered if he was even going to say anything. She didn't, however, make any move to leave.

He closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath. "Since this started happening, I kind of gave up on anyone besides Happy wanting to get anywhere near me. But you…You still want to be near me. And you want to _touch_ me even though I look like this. It makes me really, really happy."

Hearing the tone of his voice made Lucy want to cry even more. He sounded broken and she wondered if his soul really was broken. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to help glue the pieces of it back together.

Lucy gasped when Natsu put his human hand on her cheek, his dragon one holding onto the arm by his heart. He leaned in closer to her until his nose touched hers and Lucy could feel her heart jumping out of her chest, beating so hard it hurt. She felt her eyes subconsciously close and even she wasn't sure what to expect. Natsu never seemed like romantic type at all and while she didn't mind the idea of kissing him, she wondered if he ever kissed anyone at all.

When the kiss she was expecting didn't come, she opened her eyes quickly. His face was still close to hers. She could see the redness of his cheeks. It could have been a fever, but Lucy was hoping he was blushing because of _her_. His heart was still beating very fast under her palm. He pressed his forehead to hers and Lucy could feel how hot it was. "Natsu, you might have a fever," she whispered.

"Hmm," he hummed, not moving away from her. "Thank you, Lucy, for being so kind to me even though I was an asshole to you."

Lucy couldn't stop the tears now. They rolled down her cheeks as she looked at his closed eyes.

"I love you," he said without opening his eyes.

"Y-You do?"

Natsu nodded without a single ounce of hesitation. "I wanted to tell you before Sabertooth attacked, but I didn't get the chance," he said. He opened his eyes then, widening them when he saw that she was crying. "Wh-Wh-Why are you crying?" he asked nervously as he tried to wipe the tears.

Lucy laughed softly. "They're not sad tears."

Natsu continued to wipe the tears until they weren't there anymore. "I'm going to make you a promise right now because I know other people will try to come after me again. I will do everything in my power to protect you, Lucy."

Lucy knew that he was the one who needed protecting since they were after him and not her, but she didn't want to say so and ruin the moment they were sharing right now. So Lucy just smiled and nodded, taking another step closer to him so her chest pressed up against his. She wondered if he could feel her heartbeat now. If he could, he would know that she felt the same way for him. She just didn't know how to express it through words.

She reached up and held his face in her hands. She was so nervous that she was sure her heart would burst. This wasn't something she normally did. Hell, it was her first. "Close your eyes," she whispered and he did as she asked. Her hands started to shake a bit as she leaned up and brushed her lips against his.

When Lucy imagined her first kiss, she imagined it to be this extravagant thing that she would remember for the rest of her life. Maybe in the rain or while riding off into the sunset on a horse. She always imagined that she would have her first kiss with her prince charming. Now, she had different ideas of what a first kiss would be for her. All she knew was that she felt like her legs were about to give out. She loved Natsu and she hoped this gentle kiss would prove it to him. She didn't want any sort of label. She just wanted to be with him tonight and forget that there was a world outside of the two of them, a world threatening to tear them apart.

Natsu's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. He must have done this before, she thought, because he seemed to know what to do a hell of a lot more than she did. She could feel his sharp nails in her back and she sucked in a breath. The reaction made Natsu pull away, looking at her with wide, concerned eyes. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Lucy didn't want to say yes because she didn't want him to stop.

"I'm sorry," he said, lowering his arms from her waist and taking a step back from her. "You're injured. I should have been more careful with…this," he said, holding up his dragon arm. The nails were incredibly long and Lucy wondered if it could rip through flesh.

"Natsu, I'm going to help you."

"Eh?"

"Break this curse on you!" she exclaimed, grabbing on to the waistband of his pants and pulling on them gently so he stepped closer to her. "I don't mind it, but I can tell that _you do._ I want to help you. I'm _going to_ help you find the way to break this Dragon Force on you. I never want to see you sad. I never want to see you lose that beautiful smile of yours!" Lucy didn't know herself why she was feeling so passionate about this. She should have been worrying about herself and her own happiness dangling on a thread right now, but all she could think about was _him_. All she wanted to do was make him happy. Because if he was happy, she would be able to find happiness, too.

"Lucy…"

"I promise," she said, tightening her grip on the fabric of his pants. "I want Fairy Tail to accept you again because that's what'll make you happy, right?" She looked up at him. She wanted to cry, but the tears refused to come.

Natsu's lips twisted into a smile. "You care for me too much." He was still smiling, so Lucy wasn't sure if that was an insult or a compliment. "Can you stay with me tonight? I won't try anything," he added, putting his hands up in surrender. "I just think it would be nice to lie with you." He didn't know how much more time he would really have with her, especially with how fast the Dragon Force was spreading. He didn't want to tell her that, though. Not just yet.

Lucy nodded, pulling her hands away. "That's okay. You don't have to put it back on," she said when she saw Natsu reaching for his vest that was still around his feet. "I really don't mind the scales." She turned around so her back was to him. "And because I don't mind the scales, I hope you won't mind my scars." Cheeks burning, she pulled off her shirt, followed by her bra. Not only was her back scarred from the battle against Yukino, but there were more scars as well. Some were straight lines. Others were diagonal. But they were all from her father's abusive hand. She tensed a bit when she felt Natsu's rough fingers tracing each one of them.

"I could kill him," Natsu mumbled under his breath.

"I'm a little nervous," she admitted, pressing her lips together.

"How come?"

Lucy was glad her back was to him because it meant he couldn't see how red her face was. "It's just that I've been half naked in front of a man before."

Natsu cocked an eyebrow. "You don't have to be if you're uncomfortable, Luce."

Lucy shook her head. "I don't know how to express it in words. My mother and father never exchanged those words between each other. So I'm going to do all I can in order to show you that I feel the same way. I don't mean sex. I'm really…not ready for that right now. I mean just lying next to you like this: just the two of us. I think that sounds nice."

Natsu was quiet for a moment and Lucy wondered what he was thinking about. "I'll get in the bed first, alright? You can come when you're comfortable." He kissed the top of her head before stepping away from her. Lucy could feel the air around her turn cold when he left her side and she shivered.

She remembered him being so cruel to her when she saw him in the dungeons. He said awful things. But when he told her his name, something about him had been different. And that something made her realize that he wasn't bad at all. And, since that moment, she began to fall in love with him. Lucy had no idea when exactly she knew it was him. Maybe it was today, seeing him sitting on the porch waiting for her. But when she stole a glance over her shoulder and saw Natsu already in her bed, his back to her, she couldn't help but smile.

Lucy wiggled out of her jeans. She made sure to leave her panties on, not entirely trusting herself.

Natsu didn't turn around when she got into the bed, pulling the sheets up to her chest and covering it. She wondered if he fell asleep already; she wouldn't have been surprised if he had. He looked as though he hadn't slept in weeks. The Dragon Force must have been taking its toll on his body and she wished she could take some of that pain so he wouldn't have to feel as much of it.

She turned over onto her side so she was facing his back. She noticed now that his back was almost completely covered in the dark scales. Letting out a breath, she reached out to touch them. Natsu didn't react, but his steady breathing told her that he was, in fact, asleep.

Lucy could still feel his lips on hers. It left a warm impression that made her cheeks burn thinking back on it. She didn't know what was going to happen tomorrow when she woke up. If she slept at all, that was. Would it be awkward? Would they go back to being just how they were before this night happened? Part of her didn't want that. While she didn't want to make a big deal out of it because that _was_ her first kiss, she wanted to be able to hold his hand and kiss him whenever she wanted.

Throughout all the time she spent in the mansion, Lucy never once had a boyfriend. She had pursuers and men wanting to arrange marriages with her, but they were all at least eight years her senior and she felt absolutely nothing but disgust when she met them and they spent a little too long staring at her chest. Her childhood friends were the mansion's servants. She never spent time with other children, so she became extremely attached to her princess doll that she named Michelle. She brought Michelle to Magnolia with her; it sat on top of her desk where she kept her work-in-progress novel and photos of her and her mother. She wondered if her mother would have been proud of her were she alive.

Lucy reached out and wrapped her arm around Natsu. She was kind of glad he was asleep because he would have been able to feel the pounding of her heart against his back. She placed a soft kiss on the back of his neck.

She had no idea where to start in trying to find a cure for him. She had to admit that she was scared of the dragon taking over his entire body because she didn't want to lose him. He became very special to her in this short period of time they've known each other. But she knew that she would do everything in her power to help him. She made a mental note to take a trip to the library tomorrow. Maybe she would be able to find something about dragon slayers there. After all, she knew just about nothing about them aside from the fact that they were probably the strongest mages in the world.

"Luce."

Lucy tensed when she heard him call out her name. "Y-Yeah?" she whispered. Was he awake this entire time? She pressed her lips together, her heart pounding so hard she was sure it would explode right out of her chest.

"Never leave my side."

Lucy could feel how tense Natsu was. She tightened her grip on him and nodded. "You too." She wondered if he, too, worried that if they got separated, they would never see each other again.

Natsu grabbed her hand with his human one, lacing his fingers with hers. Lucy wondered if he was blushing, too.


	11. The Princess's Heart

**Hello, everyone! Thank you for all your kind feedback on the last chapter! They all made me feel a lot better about posting that chapter because I was actually very nervous about it before, aha. Anyway, I'm going to use this author's note for an announcement. I'm going to be going on a vacation to Greece with my family at the beginning of August. While I'll have internet in some places, I am not bringing my laptop, so I won't be able to update for the majority of the month of August (because once I get back, I'm heading up to college. I'm already a junior; oh God it's going by too fast! I feel so old). I'm so so so so very sorry about that! I will try to get some of my writing done on my phone during the long plane rides and stuff, but it's very unlikely that any updates will actually go up. I have a lot more planned for this story, so I do hope you don't give up on me just yet.**

 **Being in a bad place mentally has really been a cockblock on my writing, it seems. It feels like I haven't written in such a long time.**

 **I apologize for any mistakes as I tried to get this done as soon as I could because I didn't want to leave without giving you all at least one update ^.^**

 **Anyway, please enjoy this chapter as well!**

 **Also, please note that all the "history" on dragons in this chapter is completely made up by me. The fable in this story is also very much made up by me. I did not reference any fables of dragons and it has absolutely nothing to do with how the dragons are in Fairy Tail. It all came from in my head, so any similarities to anything you've seen before is merely coincidence.**

 **And thank you again. Hearing that my story can make peoples' hearts race is what I've always aimed to do, so you have to idea how happy it makes me to hear people telling me that. Seriously, I always grin like an idiot!**

* * *

Lucy didn't know how long she slept for. When she opened her eyes, the rain had stopped and the sun was shining through the window, but something was definitely missing.

She sat up so quickly that she felt lightheaded. Once her vision was no longer spinning, she looked around the room for the familiar head of pink hair, but he wasn't there anymore.

Tossing her legs over the side of the bed, Lucy stood up and threw on her pink bath robe before leaving the room. "Natsu?" she called. The first thought that came into her mind was checking the kitchen, but he wasn't there, either. He must have left before she woke up. She hugged her arms to her chest, pressing her lips together. Did what happen last night...freak him out? Lucy wondered if he woke up next to her, got freaked out because it was _her,_ and left. Lucy had never had a crush on anyone before. She was so sheltered that the only males she knew were related to her and then there were the sons of other wealthy business men. There was also Gray, but she never once thought of him as anything other than a friend. So the pain she felt in her chest was so new and so very painful.

Sighing, she went to prepare some breakfast for herself. She was still a little shaken; thinking about what happened last night was enough to make her blush. Natsu stayed for dinner and when he was about to leave, he suddenly got extremely tired. That was when she saw his arm transformed into that of a dragon's. Lucy didn't understand why, but she vaguely remembered wanting to go to the library to read up on it. Then Natsu told her he loved her.

Lucy reached up to touch her cheeks only to find that they were burning. She didn't say those words back to him. How was she supposed to know what love was? She knew she had feelings for him, but she had nothing to compare those feelings to.

After she finished nibbling at the toast she made for herself, Lucy went to change her clothes. Before she could reach her bedroom, however, there was a loud knock at the door. Her mind immediately went to Natsu and she found herself smiling at the thought of him coming back to see her again. She ran to the door and opened it. "Natsu!" Her smile turned into a frown when she saw it wasn't Natsu but Gray. "Oh," she said, deflated.

Gray cocked an eyebrow at her, leaning his arm on the doorframe. "Don't look so happy to see me," he said sarcastically. Lucy had to crane her neck in order to look him in the eyes. It was honestly tiring. She prefered Natsu's height because she didn't have to look up too far to look at his eyes. The thought of Natsu caused heat to rise to her cheeks. "How could you mistake me for that pyro?" He paused for a moment, his eyes landing on what she was wearing. "Is that what you should be wearing when answering the door? Though you don't seem to care if it's Natsu."

Lucy was sure her face was as red as a tomato. She forgot she was only wearing her bathrobe and she hugged her chest in order to cover it. "What are you doing here?"

Gray easily slipped around Lucy into her apartment. Letting out a heavy breath, she closed the door behind her, now extremely conscious of the fact that she was hardly wearing any clothing. For a long time, Gray didn't say a word, nor did he turn to look at Lucy.

Worried, Lucy stepped around him, catching his gaze from under him. Though he quickly averted it to above her head. "Gray?" she asked, her voice soft. "Is something wrong?" He seemed off. Lucy spent enough time with him back in Heartfilia mansion to see that he was troubled by something.

When he finally spoke up, it felt like ages went by. "You were home all night, right? Last night, I mean."

Lucy blinked. "Er, yeah. I got home at around sunset and I stayed in. Why?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

Gray let out a breath of relief. "Good."

Lucy cocked her head to the side. "Gray, seriously, what's going on?"

"Sabertooth attacked again last night," he said. Lucy's brown eyes immediately went wide, but before she could say a single word, Gray spoke again, "Orga attacked Juvia. It was a one against one thing, but Mira found her by the pool. She was really beaten up and Orga was nowhere to be found. Porlyusica and Wendy are looking after her now and they said she'll be fine with rest. I just..." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I needed to come by here and make sure no one attacked you, too. They're after Natsu, but they know you and him are..." His eyes traveled down her body, something in his face deflating. "Close. By the way, have you seen Natsu?"

Heat rose to Lucy's face once again as she stumbled over her words, "Wh-What? Why would I have seen Natsu?" she laughed.

Gray rolled his eyes.

"Natsu isn't here right now. He..." Lucy cut herself off. She wasn't sure she wanted to talk about this with Gray, even if they _were_ close friends. It was her own business, so she decided to go with the bare minimum. She couldn't keep quiet, especially if Sabertooth was actively pursuing him again. "He was here last night. And he slept here, I'm pretty sure. But when I woke up around an hour ago, he had left." She tried not to sound as disappointed as she felt.

"No one else has seen him since yesterday afternoon. Happy's not around, either."

"Maybe they just went out."

"Natsu isn't the type to just go out in his current state." Gray sighed, running his fingers through his hair. Lucy could see how tense his shoulders were. She wondered if it was because he was worried about Juvia. "Let us know if you find them, okay? And please be careful. Don't go anywhere without your keys."

Lucy put her hand to her head in a salute. "You got it, captain."

Gray chuckled. He reached out and ruffled Lucy's hair, making her puff out her cheeks. "I'll get going now. I just came to make sure you were okay." He stepped towards the door, opening it. But before he stepped out, he turned back to face her and smiled. "If that pyro makes you cry, I'll kick his ass."

Lucy smiled widely, a smile bright enough to light up the entire room. "Noted."

* * *

After saying goodbye to Lucy, Gray let the door shut behind him. He made it three feet from her door before he stopped short, leaning his shoulder against the wall, his eyes wide. "Damn it," he groaned, clenching his hands into fists until his nails dug into the skin.

Gray knew very well that Natsu had feelings for Lucy. It was so obvious; whenever the pinkette spoke about her, his eyes would always go wide and light up. He was always smiling when she was around and was always sitting close enough to her that their shoulders touched. And the stunt he pulled yesterday when he went around the entire guild hall asking for her only proved it even more. Gray was ready to support them because, while Natsu was an idiot most of the time who didn't think before he did anything, he was dependable and strong, and Gray knew that he would be able to protect Lucy if it came down to it. And it seemed he truly did care about her. However, when Lucy answered the door wearing basically nothing and expecting him to be Natsu, it angered Gray.

Gritting his teeth, Gray pulled himself off the wall and quickly left the apartment complex. He started towards the guild almost subconsciously, his mind racing. He didn't understand this intense anger he was feeling at the idea of Lucy having sex with Natsu. He thought he was okay with the two of them. He wasn't someone who wanted to be in a relationship with anyone right now, so he didn't understand why he felt the need to punch Natsu in the face.

* * *

 _"This is my daughter, Lucy. She's twelve years old. She is the one you will both be looking after."_

 _Thirteen-year-old Gray Fullbuster stood beside Erza. A small girl with short blonde hair was standing beside her father, a smile on her face and her hands behind her back. There were tons of people around Gray's age at Fairy Tail, but there was something different about this girl. She wasn't rowdy or loud, and she spoke using a formal Japanese that Gray never once heard since Ur. "Nice to meet you. Please take care of me from now on."_

 _"Now, Lucy, these two are mages. They are not your friends," Jude said, tilting his nose up as he looked down at his daughter._

 _But that smile never once left her face and Gray wondered if she had to practice it. "I know, Otousan. They are here for a job, not to play."_

 _Gray didn't understand it at the time, but as the years went by, he realized that that little girl was lonely. Wherever she went, she brought a doll with her. Even when she turned fifteen, she was still carrying that doll into the gardens with her, having tea parties with it while Erza was off handling hers and Gray's pay with Jude. Nothing happened in the three years he and Erza were working here. They came three times a week, and the pay was good, but since that first day they met, Lucy hadn't exchanged a single word with them. She would share a smile whenever she saw them following her, but she always kept her whispers for that doll._

 _"Gray, I'm going to talk to Heartfilia-sama," Erza said one spring afternoon as they sat in the gardens with Lucy. They were all having lunch, but Lucy sat at a separate table. "I'm going to try to find out if he still wants us here. There hasn't been a single attack in three years."_

 _Gray nodded once. "Okay."_

 _He watched Erza walk off before turning to look back at Lucy. Her hair was longer now, but it was still straight and it was still pulled back with a half-up side ponytail. She wore a dress fancier than Gray had ever seen, pink in color. The skirt was long and he wondered if she was feeling hot in it. Gray was feeling extremely hot in his clothes, his fingers itching to just take them off. But he knew from how many times he was scolded in the past that he needed to keep the stripping at a bare minimum around here._

 _Lucy's eyes met his in the moment and, while she smiled at him, the smile was not real. He could see the loneliness behind her eyes and he wondered if she was alone the other four days he and Erza weren't here._

 _Pushing himself up from his chair, he slowly walked towards Lucy. When she looked up at him, she gave him a confused look. "May I join you?"_

 _She looked around as if to make sure no one else was watching. When she turned back, however, she nodded, pointing to the empty seat across from her. "Go ahead, Gray-kun."_

 _"You can just call me Gray," he said as he sat down._

 _"I'm more comfortable with the honorific," she admitted, looking down at her small plate. "You know you don't have to sit with me, Gray-kun. My father isn't paying you to be my friend."_

 _"Do you have any friends?" The question was out of his mouth before he could stop it. It seemed to take her off guard, making her tense her shoulders. "Er, sorry, I don't mean to sound so rude. I've just never seen you around anyone else before. So I wondering if you had any friends."_

 _Lucy shook her head once, not saying anything on the matter._

 _"What are Erza and I to you?" he asked, leaning across the table._

 _Lucy backed away, leaning back fully against her chair and no longer touching what was left of her food. "Mages of Fairy Tail that my father hired."_

 _"Would you like us to be your friends?"_

 _Lucy blinked. "Well, I mean, I wouldn't not like it," she mumbled, looking down at her lap. "Listen, you don't have to be so nice to me. I'm used to playing by myself. I wouldn't be very good at being friends with other people."_

 _Gray wasn't sure how to respond to that. Friends came easily to him. Once he got into Fairy Tail, he was able to make friends with people like Cana and even Erza, though it took a long time to win Erza over. He didn't know what it was like to have absolutely no one to call a friend. "Let me show you something," he said after a long pause. He held his left hand out flat, moving his right in a quick pattern. Hovering over his left hand formed a small rose made of ice. "You haven't had a chance to see my magic, have you?" He grinned, handing the small rose to Lucy._

 _She took it reluctantly. "Oh, it's cold," she said with a small giggle. "It's really beautiful." She looked up at Gray and smiled, this time for real. "Your magic is the most beautiful I've ever seen, Gray-kun."_

 _As another year went by, Lucy started to warm up to Gray and Erza. She was calling Erza by her first name without any honorifics, though Gray was sure that was because Erza was terrifying and she hated being called_ Erza-chan _. She didn't drop the honorific around Gray's name, however. He wondered if he would be Gray-kun forever._

 _"Hey," he said as he rounded the corner in the Heartfilia library. Lucy was flipping through a book, but she smiled when she saw Gray._

 _"Good morning. I didn't know you and Erza were coming today. It's Sunday, is it not? You never come on Sundays."_

 _"I'm here on my own this time. Just visiting as a friend, not a worker."_

 _Something passed over Lucy's face that day. Gray didn't know what it was, but he did know that he felt happy that he was able to make it happen. It could have been relief or, maybe, admiration. So Gray spent the entire day with her, asking her about her favorite books and listening as she spoke highly of her celestial spirits. Being the one who could make her make those expressions made Gray feel warm inside. He was able to make her really smile and he was her first friend. He hoped he would always have a special place in her heart because her smiling face would always have a place in his, he knew that much._

 _She was no longer carrying her doll with her. At least, she wasn't when Gray was around. Instead, she would wave him over and they would have lunch together every day. Erza would join in occasionally, but she mostly let Gray do whatever he wanted. She wasn't interested in making friends._

 _"Gray-kun," Lucy whined one night as Gray was carrying her on his back to her room. She had fallen asleep in the library. "I wasn't finished reading, Gray-kun, bring me back to the library." She was too tired to fight him, so she settled on just whining._

 _"Lucy, you were drooling all over the pages. I think you're done for the night."_

 _She groaned. "But I was just getting to the good part! Gray-kun is a party pooper."_

 _Gray rolled his eyes as he made the familiar trip to her room. He would always see her back at the end of the night while Erza brought the car around. She always insisted on using her magic to power the car, denying every time Gray offered. He didn't understand why, but he also wasn't going to insist._

 _"Gray-kun's back is cold."_

 _Gray looked back at her for a moment. He was about to retort when he saw that she had fallen asleep again. He let out a breath. He didn't know how she could sleep in any place at any time. He, at least, needed a futon in order to fall asleep, though he preferred a bed._

 _When he got to her room, he placed her on the bed gently, covering her with the silk blanket. She was a sound sleeper and he found his fingers lingering by her hair after he covered her. "Are you ever going to drop the honorific with me?" he mused out loud, his voice barely above a whisper._

 _He made his way out of her room, but not before turning back to look at her. She turned onto her side, her back to him. Her blonde hair was draped over the pillow behind her and Gray found himself smiling. Never in a million years did he think he would still be at this job four years later. At seventeen, he still found himself looking forward to coming to this mansion to see her._

* * *

Gray sat at the bar in Fairy Tail. He barely remembered getting there, too into his memories. He had many more, but there was something about that night when he carried her on his back that resonated with him. It was one of the stronger memories of being with her he had. He didn't ever think Lucy would become a member of Fairy Tail, too. And even though she was right here, Gray felt farther away from her than ever before. Because now he and Erza weren't her only friends. He was happy that she was getting along so well with everyone in the guild, but he missed when he had her all to himself and she relied only on his friendship.

He nodded a thanks to Mirajane when she brought him a beer. He wasn't one to drink so early in the morning, but he needed something to calm his nerves down. It had been six years since he met Lucy. Six years and it seemed like she forgot all about him. Now that she had Natsu, there wasn't room for Gray anymore.

He frowned at his reflection in his beer. Lucy never once used an honorific when she spoke to Natsu. He was always just Natsu, even after he almost killed her. It took five years for her to stop calling him Gray-kun. He didn't understand: what was so special about that pyro? Why was she so much more comfortable around him?

"Gray, there you are."

Gray snapped out of his thoughts, looking over to his left only to see Erza sit down next to him. "Oh, hey, Erza." He didn't know why a part of him hoped it was Lucy.

"So Lucy's all right, then?"

He nodded once.

"Have you seen Natsu?"

"Nope. He was last at Lucy's apartment, but he left before she woke up, she said." He didn't notice the venom in his tone before it was too late and Erza was shooting him a knowing look. "Shut up," Gray grumbled despite the fact that Erza hadn't said anything. He looked down at his drink, swirling it around in his hand.

"I guess you finally realized it," Erza said after she ordered a drink for herself.

"Eh? What are you talking about?"

"The reason why you could never give Juvia a real answer to her many confessions." Erza was looking at him from the corner of her eyes, but Gray stared at her head on, eyes wide and eyebrows raised. "You wanted to reject her, but you didn't know how to because you didn't really know why you didn't return her feelings for you. I knew. When I saw you sitting with Lucy in the gardens all those years ago. She was always kind...frail. You always wanted to go back to the Heartfilia mansion to protect her because you genuinely cared for her. It's different now, though. She's independent and she can fight on her own. She is no longer that little girl having lunch by herself. She even extinguished Natsu's bad attitude. You're not the only man she sees anymore. Her heart's been won over by someone else."

"You're not making sense," Gray muttered, turning away from her. However, he knew very well what she was talking about without her actually saying the words. He was jealous and just knowing that fact pissed him off even more.

"Do you understand now?" Erza looked over at him, taking a sip of her drink. "Go give Juvia the answer she needs to move on."

* * *

Lucy was about ready to give up. She spent the entire afternoon in the library trying to find information on dragons. She knew the creatures were rare, but she had yet to find more than a paragraph on them in any of the dozens of books surrounding her. She took off her glasses that helped her read quickly and sighed. She had rejected a lunch invitation from Levy around two hours ago, so her stomach was rumbling quite a bit. She thought of going back home and making something quickly, but part of her wondered if Natsu was in the guild hall. She still couldn't find him anywhere. She even went to his and Happy's house before coming to the library, but neither of them was there when she checked.

"Might as well just put these books back and get something for dinner," she said to herself. Lucy stood up and stretched her arms over her head before she started gathering the books in bulk and returning them to their correct spots on the shelf. As she was putting the final book away, her eye caught on something buried deep within the shelf. Reaching out, she grabbed the pocket-sized book and stared wide eyed at the picture on the front; a Chinese-style dragon was drawn below the title.

 _The Reflection of Lin Haru._

Lucy hadn't the slightest clue as to who Lin Haru was, but seeing the dragon drawn on the front made her feel hopeful. She opened up the first page as she started to walk back to the table she had previously occupied. It reminded her of the stories and fables her mother read to her when she was a child about princesses and glass slippers. Her mother once told her that those stories were all true once and that those princesses really did exist long before they were born. Even though Lucy was grown now and she knew better, she couldn't help but hold onto that sliver of hope that this Lin Haru who seemed to have something to do with dragons also existed once before.

 _One night, a crimson moon ascended into the sky. The abnormal color set the townsfolk into a frenzy. People ran around the streets, warning their loved ones and neighbors, "It's coming! Just as the tale said. Once the red moon ascends into the sky, the dragon of the earth will rise from its slumber. Lock your doors!"_

 _Everyone in town locked his door and shut his windows. Children were tucked away safely with their parents right beside them. This moon the color of blood left people shaking as they prayed to the gods to keep them safe._

 _However, somewhere on the outskirts of the town, a young man known as Lin Haru was smiling._

 _The crimson moon was what he spent his entire life waiting for. He lived in this cave alone for thirteen years and the day finally came that he would be able to see the outside world._

 _Lin Haru rejoiced that night. He rejoiced his savior, the dragon of the earth._

 _"Where are you, dragon? Why are you not rising?"_

 _The voice rang through Lin Haru's head, a deep voice that sent tingles down his spine. "You have been patient, my boy. But I have always been alive. I have always been residing right inside of you."_

 _"But the crimson moon has ascended! You are supposed to rise from your slumber and save me! That's what you're supposed to do!"_

 _Lin Haru was desperate to free himself from the chains that held him to the cave. He no longer wanted to live an isolated existence._

 _"Set me free!" he begged the dragon of the earth. "I want to be like the humans."_

 _"Lin Haru, you are not a human. You were never a human. You have always been, and always will be, a dragon."_

 _Lin Haru saw his reflection for the first time that night. He had been watching humans for so many years now that he thought he was just the same as they were. He didn't expect to see scales instead of skin and claws instead of fingers._

 _And so, Lin Haru cried for the first time that night and didn't stop until that crimson moon was no longer in the sky._

After reading that tale, Lucy wasn't sure what to think. It was short and, well, extremely weird in her opinion. At first, it seemed to just be some story about a lonely dragon who wished to be human. But as she thought more about the story and what was written between the lines, she saw one similarity between Natsu and Lin Haru. They both wanted to be set free.

Lucy then decided to start a different search. Dragons was no longer her target genre. She was now searching for the name Lin Haru.

"I figured you would still be here, Lu-chan, so I brought you back something to eat."

Lucy looked up from the small book after rereading the fable for the third time only to see Levy smiling down at her. "Thanks," she said softly, smiling. She was actually glad to have something to eat. She reached into the bag and smiled when she saw that it was a muffin.

Levy sat down in a seat across from Lucy. "What are you researching, anyway?"

Lucy waited until she finished the top of her muffin to speak. And when she did speak, she completely ignored Levy's question and asked her own, "Have you ever heard the name Lin Haru before?"

Levy thought for a moment, tapping her index finger on her chin. "Lin Haru?" she repeated. She was silent for a moment before she snapped her fingers, leaning over on the wooden table, a sparkle in her brown eyes. "I think I read that name in a book once. I can't remember what book it was, but it was something brief. He seemed to be a boy who was half dragon and half human. There was some sort of fable about him, but some people claimed he actually existed and would torment people of the village for sport."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "Do _you_ think he was real?"

Levy shrugged, twisting a strand of her blue hair on her finger. "I don't know anything about dragons aside from dragon slayer stuff Gajeel's told me. It seemed he lived sometime in the era before the current one, if he lived at all. It was before magic was the way it is now. Even before Zeref's time. So it had to have been five hundred years ago or more."

Sighing, Lucy scratched her temple. "None of this is making sense. All I know is that dragons are rare creatures only seen by a handful of people. None of it has helped me get at all closer to learning how to break the curse on Natsu."

"So you're researching dragons for Natsu's sake?"

Lucy nodded.

Levy let out a breath. "I'm happy that you're trying to help him, Lu-chan, but I think you're overworking yourself. It's already dark outside and I worry that that muffin is the only thing you had to eat all day. Can you call it a night? I'm worried about you."

Lucy wanted to say no; she wanted to try to find out more. She was incredibly worried that if she didn't move quickly that something really terrible would happen to Natsu. And the fact that Natsu was nowhere to be found was worrying her even more. "Fine," she mumbled reluctantly. "I'm just going to head home, then."

"I'll walk you back."

* * *

"You can keep an eye out for Natsu, right?"

"We can. I'll call back to let you know if we see him."

Erza nodded once. "Thanks, Jellal." She wasn't looking at the lacrima in front of her because it was projecting Jellal's face at her and she knew that if she saw him, she would break down again. She didn't want to cry anymore. She didn't like how incredibly weak he seemed to make her.

"Yeah," he said. "Erza, I want to apologize for what happened a few weeks ago. When I told you to tell me to stay."

Erza tensed at his words, the scene playing back in her mind and making her chest ache all over again. She didn't want to relive that horrible day anymore. She told him to leave when her heart begged her to tell him to stay. She wondered what would have happened if she did tell him not to leave. She wondered if he would have been standing in this room right now with her and talking to her in person instead of through the lacrima. "Don't," she said, her eyes glued to the wood floor of her apartment.

Erza heard Jellal sigh. "Just be careful. Sabertooth is gathering its strength. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm Fairy Tail's strongest female mage. I'll be fine."

Jellal didn't say anything for a long time and Erza wondered if he hung up. When she looked up and saw his sad amber eyes still staring at her, she regretted it immediately. "I'm going to hang up now," he said after what felt like a year of complete silence.

"Okay." Erza wanted to say so much more than that. So many words that she wanted to say to him ran through her mind, but not a single one of them left her lips. In ache in her chest, however, only got more painful with each passing second.

"Look at me, Erza."

Erza shook her head. She wanted to look at him, but she glued her eyes to her own feet. Her slippers were oddly cold.

"I love you, Erza."

Erza's head snapped up, but when she looked at the lacrima, Jellal's face was already gone. She gritted her teeth; how was that fair? Saying that to her was him being incredibly selfish. It wasn't the first time she heard those words leave his lips. The first time was in the tower of heaven right before all went to hell. He had told her he loved her. She didn't know if it was Ultear's influence or if it was when he broke it, but it hurt just the same.

Erza was about to retire for the night when a loud banging sounded on her front door. "Erza," the panicked voice called. She recognized that voice from anywhere: Wendy.

Concerned, Erza ran to the door and pulled it open. Staring up at her with wide eyes was a very disheveled Wendy. Her long pig-tails were coming apart and she was out of breath. She was wearing her nurse's uniform. "What's going on, Wendy? Did something happen?" Erza was going to have to push Jellal out of her mind. Her guild was the most important thing to her. She didn't want anymore distractions.

"Erza," Wendy breathed as she tried to catch her breath. "I'm so sorry to bother you at home, but it's an emergency."

"Skip the apologies and just tell me what's happening," Erza shouted.

Wendy didn't flinch at Erza's shouting. In fact, she stood up straighter. "Lisanna is missing! Mirajane and Elfman were admitted into our care. They were badly injured and they both said that woman from Sabertooth attacked them all and then kidnapped Lisanna. The one called Minerva!"

Erza's dark purple eyes widened at the information, her heart twisting in her chest to the point where she thought she would be sick. Her heart had gone through enough turmoil talking to Jellal and now both Lisanna and Natsu were missing. "But isn't Natsu the one they want?" she asked, running out of her apartment.

Wendy ran beside her, huffing. "It seems Natsu is missing as well. No one's seen him since yesterday."

"But what business would they have with Lisanna?" Erza wondered out loud. She thought for sure that they would go after Lucy first. After all, it was obvious that there was something between them. So Erza didn't understand why they took Lisanna. "Wendy, do me a favor and go find Gray. Tell him what happened and tell him to keep an eye on Lucy."

Wendy nodded. "Got it."

At the end of the cobblestone street, Erza and Wendy went separate ways. She knew she was acting completely on impulse, but she had to save her nakama. And in order to do that, she would have to go to the Sabertooth guild. Juvia, Mirajane, and Elfman were all too injured to accompany her. They were the first people she would have gone to excluding Gray because the three of them were extremely powerful. So Erza had to try the next best thing and hope they would help her.

Her feet carried her outside of Magnolia. She only stopped when she realized she didn't actually know where she was going. Out of breath, she swore. Why was she here? Why was she looking for him when she could have gone to the guild and asked Gajeel or Laxus? Why did her feet always bring her back to _him_?

"Help me," she called out into the darkness, hoping he would hear her. But Erza didn't know if he was still here. He and the others could have gone to another town entirely. "Help me, Jellal."

* * *

Levy sighed after she watched Lucy go inside her apartment building. She was worried about the celestial mage. She was obsessing over dragons and now also this Lin Haru character. Levy didn't believe that he existed. He was a character in a fable, after all. None of those things were in any way, shape, or form true. It was nice, though, to see how much Lucy truly cared for Natsu. Levy wondered if Lucy even realized her own feelings for the fire dragon slayer.

Levy stopped walking when she saw someone running by her at full speed. She stared after him wide-eyed. "Gray?" she called, but he didn't turn around. Instead, he ran right for Lucy's building, letting himself in. Did something happen?

Sighing, Levy continued to head back to her own home. There didn't seem to be any attacks from Sabertooth that she knew of, so she dismissed Gray's frantic running with a swift shake of her head.

A cold hand wrapped around her arm as she turned onto her street and she gasped. "It's just me, relax."

Heart thumping, Levy puffed her cheeks and smacked Gajeel's chest. "Don't scare me like that, you idiot!" When Gajeel didn't throw a clever retort back at her for calling him an idiot, Levy stopped hitting his chest and looked up at him with concern. "Gajeel..?"

Gajeel held onto her shoulders and pushed her away from him so she was an arm's length away. Levy blinked, not at all sure what was wrong with him. He was silent for a long time and Levy was about to say something else when he finally spoke up, his voice barely above a whisper. Levy had to lean in closer in order to hear him. "Don't leave my side, alright? At least not until this whole thing with Sabertooth is settled. My friend...Juvia got attacked last night and while I know you can handle yourself, I don't wanna see you get hurt too."

Levy's eyes were wide as she didn't know what to say to that. She wasn't expecting him to say that whatsoever. She let out a breath and settled with just one word that she hoped would put his mind a little at lease, "Okay."

* * *

 _Drip...Drip..._

"How's that dragon doing?"

"S'been trying to fight 'is way outta there for hours now. 'e's strong, I'll give 'him that."

"You were sure to cover up that good eye of his, right?"

"Mmhm. We put an eyepatch over it."

The voices were alien to him.

Natsu pulled on the chains tying his arms behind his back, groaning when the rusted metal cut through the skin on his right wrist. Whatever kind of metal this was, it was strong. His dragon arm couldn't even break through it. His feet were tied, too, and he was kneeling on a cold, wet floor. He didn't know where he was or how he got there. All he knew was that he had an extreme sense of deja vu.

The room was illuminated only by a small candle, and what Natsu could see of the room was starting to spin. He gritted his teeth until he was sure they would break, closing his eyes. He knew that he would lose all of his self control if he looked out of only the dragon's eye for too long.

Something else; he had to think of something else.

Lucy was the first thing that popped into his head. He could still feel the gentle touch of her fingers on his skin. He remembered that her skin was smooth, the complete opposite of his own. Natsu dug his nails into his palms until he felt hot liquid run down one of them. If he was captured, he hated to think of what might have happened to Lucy. The idea of her being in the same position was enough to send his blood on fire.

He tried to break through the chains with his fire magic, but they wouldn't budge. "Fuck," he swore, out of breath from all the struggling.

When he heard the click of the lock on the door, Natsu didn't open his eyes. The voice that spoke, however, was one of the men he heard just a few minutes ago. "Closing your eyes won't help you. You're going to have to open them eventually."

Natsu growled in response.

The man chuckled, the sound enough to send a shiver down Natsu's spine. "We have a little surprise here for you. Open your eyes and see what it is."

When Natsu shook his head, he heard the sound of a girl trying to say something. Her mouth must have been gagged because Natsu didn't understand a word. Though he shot his eyes open at the sound of it, thinking it was Lucy. But it wasn't Lucy. It was Lisanna. She was standing beside the man who was wearing a cloak and her arms were tied behind her back. "Lisanna," Natsu called.

Lisanna's blue eyes were full of tears. She said something, but Natsu didn't understand.

"Let her go," he roared. Seeing her being treated so poorly and seeing how sad she looked pissed him off. While part of him was a little relieved it wasn't Lucy, he was seething at the sight of Lisanna. His guild members were his family. "Let her go," he repeated, louder this time, "or I'll burn you to ash!"

The man chuckled again, throwing Lisanna into the same room as Natsu. She landed hard on her knees and the metallic smell of blood filled the air. She must have cut her knees upon impact. "You have try to burn me all you want, but you won't use any of your magic as long as she's in front of you."

Natsu gritted his teeth, knowing this man was right. He wouldn't do anything that would bring harm to Lisanna.

"Now it's just a matter of waiting to see what happens. We want to see if you'll kill her. Looking through that eye of yours for too long seems to make your temper much worse."

Natsu closed his eye again. He wished he could have been confident that he wouldn't, but he knew that if he ever switched over, he would kill anyone regardless of whether he was friends with them or not.

"There will be no food or water for you. That might speed up the process." The man snickered. "Good luck, Natsu Dragneel."


End file.
